The new agreement to create a ‘regional thoracic surgery center’ in the Hamilton area of Ontario, Canada highlights some of the things we’ve been talking about here at Cirugia de Torax.org such as the importance of having thoracic surgery performed by thoracic surgeons, and improved outcomes with more complex cases (esophagectomy, pneumonectomy) being performed at high volume centers.
Since this center is in Canada – it is also important to note that this change will decrease waiting times (initial presentation to treatment) for patients. For people unfamiliar with socialized medicine – these waiting periods can be significant. The article phrases this differently, stating time of initial presentation to diagnosis – which can have a different meaning – (or if the diagnosis is made from surgical tissue, essentially the same.) However, that time was 95 DAYS (or over three months) and has now been reduced to 35 days.
In other Thoracic Surgery news – I am currently researching articles on high-altitude lung surgery, so there may be a gap in between postings as I continue to review the existing data.
Thoracic Surgery 