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Dr Sanjay Murthy and colleagues from Canada evaluated the impact of in-hospital gastroenterologist care, relative to other provider care, on health outcomes of hospitalized Ulcerative colitis patients. The team conducted a population-based cohort study of 4278 ulcerative colitis patients hospitalized between 2002 and 2008 in Canada. The researcher's primary outcome was in-hospital mortality risk.  | | The type of hospital provider did not impact in-hospital or 1-year colectomy risks | | Gut |
The team observed that ulcerative colitis patients admitted under non-gastroenterologists had a higher in-hospital mortality rate but a similar in-hospital colectomy rate as compared to ulcerative colitis patients admitted under gastroenterologists. Following covariate adjustment, non-gastroenterologist care was associated with a greater in-hospital mortality risk relative to gastroenterologist care. This increased mortality risk was observed in patients admitted to other internists, and general practitioners, with a trend towards greater mortality risk among patients admitted to general surgeons. Among patients who were discharged from hospital colectomy-free, those who were admitted under non-gastroenterologists had a greater 1-year risk of death than patients who were admitted under gastroenterologists. The research team observed that the type of hospital provider did not impact in-hospital or 1-year colectomy risks or the risk of hospital re-admission in this cohort. Dr Murthy's team concludes, "Primary in-hospital gastroenterologist care was associated with decreased in-hospital and one-year mortality risks among hospitalized ulcerative colitis patients." "Optimized care strategies by experienced specialists may confer important health advantages in this patient population."
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