Impact of surgeon and surgical center characteristics on choice of permanent vascular access.
BACKGROUND
The impact of the surgeon and surgical center characteristics on choice of autogenous arteriovenous (AV) fistula versus artificial AV graft as permanent vascular access for hemodialysis has not been studied.


METHODS
We used national data from the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration to measure the association of surgeon and surgical center characteristics with choice of initial permanent vascular access among patients undergoing their first vascular access placement procedure between October 1, 2000 and September 30, 2001 (fiscal year 2001). Data were analyzed using a hierarchical logistic regression model clustered for surgical center and surgeon.


RESULTS
The study population included 1114 patients, 74 Veterans Administration Medical Centers, and 182 surgeons. Seventy-two percent of patients received an AV fistula as their initial form of permanent vascular access. After adjusting for differences in patient, center, and surgeon characteristics, odds of AV fistula placement at high volume centers (>30 procedures per year) were more than three times greater than at low volume centers [odds ratio (OR) 3.26, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.37 to 7.75, P = 0.008]. In addition, a strong clustering effect was present at the level of the surgeon (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.03, P = 0.001) but not at the level of the surgical center, indicating an association with surgeon practice pattern.


CONCLUSIONS
Barriers to AV fistula placement can exist at the levels of the surgeon and surgical center, respectively. Future strategies to improve AV fistula placement rates should target surgeons and surgical centers in addition to patients, nephrologists, and primary care providers.
O'Hare
Ann M
AM
Department of Medicine, VA Medical Center, San Francisco, California 94121, USA. annohare@yahoo.com
Dudley
R Adams
RA
Hynes
Denise M
DM
McCulloch
Charles E
CE
Navarro
Daniel
D
Colin
Philip
P
Stroupe
Kevin
K
Rapp
Joseph
J
Johansen
Kirsten L
KL
D000368:Aged; D001166:Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009398:Nephrology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*