Relationship between volume and quality of health care: a review of the literature

NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
Record ID 31999008337
English
Authors' objectives:

To review the evidence for a relationship between the volume of activity of a hospital and patient outcomes in a range of procedures and to examine in detail this relationship for coronary artery bypass surgery.

Authors' recommendations: The validity of some of the research findings of a positive relationship between volume and outcome of care is suspect because of problems of adjusting for patient-mix. In addition there is a paucity of information as to why high volume might be associated with better outcomes. Policy makers should be cautious when invoking the assumed improvements in outcome by volume as a key argument in the centralisation of services.
Authors' methods: Systematic review
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 1995
URL for published report: n/a
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: England
MeSH Terms
  • Quality of Health Care
  • Hospitals, High-Volume
  • Outcome Assessment, Health Care
  • Treatment Outcome
Contact
Organisation Name: University of York
Contact Address: University of York, York, Y01 5DD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1904 321040, Fax: +44 1904 321041,
Contact Name: crd@york.ac.uk
Contact Email: crd@york.ac.uk
Copyright: <p>University of York</p>
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.