Study: Hospital Patient Mortality Rates Differ Based On Physician's Early Experience

A physician's experience -or lack thereof- could play a role in mortality rates for hospital patients.

Doctors from the University of Texas and Medical College of Wisconsin examined a 5% sample of Medicare data of patient outcomes and the experience of hospitalists (physicians) providing care at the hospital.

Researchers found patients treated by hospitalists in their first year out of residency had a 30-day mortality rate of 10.5% compared to 9.97% for those cared for by hospitalists in their second year of practice.

Hospital mortality also showed differences with a 3.33% rate for patients treated by first-year hospitalists compared to 2.96% of those treated by second-year hospitalists.

For both 30-day and hospital mortality rates, researchers found little change in the odds of mortality when it comes to hospitalists with two or more years experience.

Researchers say the findings indicate physicians in their first year of practice could require more support to ensure optimal outcomes for their patients.

The findings were published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

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