Travel Time Influences Abdominal Surgery Complications

Longer travel times to the hospital were associated with more surgical complications among patients with
IBD undergoing initial abdominal surgery, according to findings published in Crohn’s and Colitis 360.
Thomas Curran, MD, MPH, and colleagues conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of 157
patients to determine surgical complication rates with and without long travel times and non-integrated
preoperative care. Complications occurred more commonly among patients who traveled more than 75 miles
to the hospital (P=0.012). Integrated preoperative care was not significant in bivariate or multivariable
analyses but did have a more robust association among patients with travel distance of less than 75 miles.
Following adjustment, new ileostomy, open surgical approach, and more than 75 miles traveled were independently
associated with complications. “Without significant accommodations for remote patients, potential
benefits of an integrated model for IBD care may be limited to patients who live close to the medical
center,” Dr. Curran and colleagues wrote. “Future efforts addressing continuity of care should consider
tactics to mitigate the impact of travel distance on outcomes.”