Methodology for the evaluation of vascular surgery manpower in France
Résumé
Objectives: The French population is growing and ageing. It is expected to increase by 2.7% by 2020, and the number of individuals over 65 years of age is expected to increase by 3.3million, a 33% increase, between 2005 and 2020. As the number of vascular surgery procedures is closely associated with the age of a population, it is anticipated that there will be a significant increase in the workload of vascular surgeons. Study design: A model is presented to predict changes in vascular surgery activity according to population ageing, including other parameters that could affect workload evolution.
Methods: Three types of arterial procedures were studied: infrarenal abdominal aortic
aneurysm (AAA) surgery, peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) procedures and
carotid artery (CEA) procedures. Data were selected and extracted from the national PMSI
(Medical Information System Program) database. Data obtained from 2000 were used to
predict data based on an ageing population for 2008. From this model, a weighted index
was defined for each group by comparing expected and observed workloads.
Results: According to the model, over this 8-year period, there was an overall increase in
vascular procedures of 52.2%, with an increase of 89% in PAOD procedures. Between 2000
and 2009, the total increase was 58.0%, with 3.9% for AAA procedures, 101.7% for PAOD
procedures and 13.2% for CEA procedures. The weighted model based on an ageing population
and corrected by a weighted factor predicted this increase.
Conclusion: This weighted model is able to predict the workload of vascular surgeons over
the coming years. An ageing population and other factors could result in a significant
increase in demand for vascular surgical services.