Children Traveling Farther for Surgery Face More Complications, Longer Stays

An analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that children who travel more than 60 miles for common inpatient surgery face higher odds of complications, longer hospital stays and higher charges. Researchers examined 71,451 children across 12 US states from 2018 to 2021; about 12% lived more than 60 miles from their hospital. The findings raise questions about access to pediatric surgical services.