In a study looking at more than 300,000 coronary angioplasty surgeries at interventional cardiology training programs, researchers found complications related to surgery were similar throughout the year, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The study finds the “July effect,” an increase of medical errors and patient deaths due to the influx of new physicians at this time of year, may not be substantiated.
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In training programs, trainees and experienced physicians perform coronary angioplasty surgeries together, which may influence surgical outcome, Alice Jacobs, MD, director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and Interventional Cardiology at Boston Medical Center, told Reuters. Dr. Jacobs was not involved with the study.
Researchers surveyed 81 academic training program directors and found trainee involvement in the procedure did not seem to affect patient health.
Researchers say many patients voice concerns about the July effect to physicians, and these results may help lessen their fears.
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