Impact of Public Reporting on Access to Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: The California Outcomes Reporting Program

Although total CABG volume decreased from 2003 to 2006 by almost 27%, patient case mix for most hospitals and surgeons was unchanged. Despite similar patient characteristics, the operative mortality for patients in the highest risk group was 26% lower in 2006 than in 2003. We found no evidence of decreased access to CABG for high-risk patients in California during the period of public reporting of isolated CABG outcomes.