The Use of STS Public Reporting to Guide Referrals in Congenital Heart Surgery: Results of a Survey

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) public reporting in congenital heart surgery has received considerable attention; however, it is unclear how pediatric cardiac providers use these data to guide surgical referrals. We surveyed members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery and PediHeartNet members regarding use of STS public reporting. There were 155 respondents (90% cardiologist, 7% surgeons) from approximately 800 solicitations (∼19% response rate). While most (83%) felt that STS public reporting is important, 60% are unsure of its accuracy and only 37% find it useful in practice. Most (71%) believe STS public reporting leads to risk aversion. Overall, 92% answered that STS public reporting rarely or never overrides other factors determining referrals. Compared with smaller centers (