surgical outcomes

OK, first, let’s begin with the conflict of interest statement. I am a male surgeon, so my reading of the data may be biased.
The paper is the work of two physicians trained in internal medicine and a health economist, so they are free of bias as well as any practical knowledge about how surgeons operate, literally and figuratively.
One of the hallmarks of the changing healthcare landscape is consolidation, in insurance offerings, medication plans, physician groups, and hospitals. The rationale for many is to gain the financial benefits of scale and improve care.