title: Can Patients Select the Best Hospital for Carotid Revascularization?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Public reporting of cardiac surgery outcomes has been available for many years in the USA. Whether public information regarding carotid endarterectomy or stenting outcomes is available has not been studied previously.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Medicare Hospital Compare website was analyzed for carotid endarterectomy and stenting volume and complications data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Within a large metropolitan area, endarterectomy volume data was provided in less than half of hospitals, with no information provided on morbidity or mortality. No information was available on carotid stenting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The quality of information available to patients in the USA contemplating a carotid revascularization procedure is suboptimal. Considering the volume of these procedures, greater transparency with regard to outcomes is desirable. Adoption of carotid procedure reporting practices as used in the UK should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Stroke Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. Electronic address: SChaturvedi@med.miami.edu.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaturvedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. George's NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Loftus
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D017130:Angioplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards*; D006761:Hospitals / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D006278:Medicare; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D015607:Stents / Q000592:standards; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
keywords: Carotid endarterectomy; Carotid stenting; Public reporting of quality