The 'July Effect' in Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Analysis of 21,434 Cases From the ACS-NSQIP Database

摘要

The training of physicians through residency programs is integral to the medical system. Often cited as analogous to apprenticeships, medical and surgical residencies are the means through which the knowledge and skills necessary to practice are imparted to future independent practitioners. Although there have been adjustments to the process of resident education over the years, the system of training the next generation of physicians and surgeons has remained relatively unchanged.Every year in July, senior residents graduate from their respective training programs and are replaced by new (or newly promoted) medical doctors. These younger physicians may lack some of the knowledge, technical skill, experience, and decision-making capacity of their predecessors. As a result, conventional wisdom has provided that this time of year is a poor time to be hospitalized. Moreover, it is thought to be a particularly poor time to have surgery. The popular media has recently given increased attention to these concerns [1,2].