Current estimates for wrong-site surgery and retained surgical items are 1 event per 100,000 and 1 event per 10,000 procedures, respectively, but the precision is uncertain, and the per-procedure prevalence of surgical fires is not known. Root-cause analyses suggest the need for improved communication. Despite promising approaches and global Universal Protocol evaluations, empirical evidence for interventions is limited.

CRD42013005987.

Introduction With the growing number of breast cancer survivors outpacing the capacity of oncology providers, there is pressure to transition patients back to primary care. Primary care providers (PCPs) working in safety-net settings may have less experience treating survivors, and little is known about their knowledge and views on survivorship care. Objective To determine the knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of PCPs in the safety net at delivering care to breast cancer survivors. Participants A modified version of the National Cancer Institute’s Survey of Physician Attitudes Regarding Care of Cancer Survivors (SPARCCS) was given to providers at 2 county hospitals and 5 associated clinics (n=59). Focus groups were held to understand barriers to survivorship care. Results While most providers believed PCPs have the skills necessary to provide cancer-related follow-up, the vast majority were not comfortable providing these services themselves. Providers were adherent to American Society of Clinical Oncology recommendations for mammography (98%) and physical exam (87%); less than 1/3 were guideline-concordant for lab testing and only 6 providers (10%) met all recommendations. PCPs universally requested additional training on clinical guidelines and the provision of written survivorship care plans prior to transfer. Concerns voiced in qualitative sessions included unfamiliarity with the management of endocrine therapy and confusion regarding who would be responsible for certain aspects of care. Conclusion Safety-net providers currently lack knowledge and confidence at providing survivorship care to breast cancer patients. Opportunities exist for additional training in evidence-based guidelines and improved coordination of care between PCPs and oncology specialists.

Objective To examine the effect of Medicaid enrollment on the diagnosis, treatment, and survival of six surgically relevant cancers among poor and underserved Californians. Data Sources California Cancer Registry (CCR), California's Patient Discharge Database (PDD), and state Medicaid enrollment files between 2002 and 2008. Study Design We linked clinical and administrative records to differentiate patients continuously enrolled in Medicaid from those receiving coverage at the time of their cancer diagnosis. We developed multivariate logistic regression models to predict death within 1 year for each cancer after controlling for sociodemographic and clinical variables. Data Collection/Extraction Methods All incident cases of six cancers (colon, esophageal, lung, pancreas, stomach, and ovarian) were identified from CCR. CCR records were linked to hospitalizations (PDD) and monthly Medicaid enrollment. Principal Findings Continuous enrollment in Medicaid for at least 6 months prior to diagnosis improves survival in three surgically relevant cancers. Discontinuous Medicaid patients have higher stage tumors, undergo fewer definitive operations, and are more likely to die even after risk adjustment. Conclusions Expansion of continuous insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act is likely to improve both access and clinical outcomes for cancer patients in California.

African American patients are less likely than non-African American patients to undergo AVF during first-time hemodialysis access surgery. This ethnic discrepancy appears to be due to smaller arm vein diameters in African American patients. In African American patients with appropriate vein diameters who do undergo AVF, primary and functional patencies are equivalent to non-African American patients.