Surgeons at Hospital a Report That the Mortality Rate at the End

question 6

Multiple Choice

Surgeons at Hospital A report that the mortality rate at the end of a one-year follow-up after a new coronary bypass procedure is 15%. At Hospital B, the surgeons report a one-year mortality rate of 8% for the same procedure. Before concluding that the surgeons at Hospital B have vastly superior skill, which of the following possible confounders would you examine?

• A) The severity (stage) of disease of the patients at the two hospitals at baseline
• B) The starting point of the one-year follow-up at both hospitals (after operation versus after discharge)
• C) Difference in the postoperative care at the two hospitals
• D) Equally thorough follow-up for mortality
• E) All are correct.

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Definitions:

Crossover Point

The crossover point is the moment when two or more alternatives have the same value or cost, often used in financial analysis to determine when an investment will start to be profitable.

Initial Investment

Initial investment refers to the amount of money invested in a project, asset, or business venture at the start.

Crossover Rate

The point at which two projects have the same net present value (NPV), used in capital budgeting to determine the rate of return at which an investor would be indifferent between the two projects.