Patients Bypass Nearest Hospitals for Better Care, But See Worse Results

Study finds patients who travel further for surgery have higher odds of progressed disease and longer hospital stays.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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A recent study analyzed data from over 22,000 patients across five states and found that 11.3% of patients traveled at least 10 miles past their nearest hospital to receive general surgery. While these patients had 48% lower odds of being transferred to another hospital after admission, they also had 22% higher odds of presenting with progressed disease and 20% higher odds of a hospital stay longer than six days.

Why it matters

The study highlights a concerning trend where patients are bypassing their closest hospitals in search of perceived 'better care', but this decision comes with significant clinical costs in terms of disease progression and length of hospital stay. Understanding the factors driving these decisions is crucial to ensuring patients receive timely and effective care.

The details

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, looked at patient data from Arizona, Iowa, North Carolina, Vermont and Wisconsin. Researchers found that patients who bypassed their nearest hospital were more likely to be from rural areas. While these patients had lower odds of being transferred to another hospital after admission, they faced higher odds of presenting with more advanced disease and longer hospital stays.

  • The study was published on February 18, 2026.

The players

Mustafa Abid, MD

Senior author of the study and surgery resident at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

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What they’re saying

“Bypassing your nearest hospital for emergency surgery is a high-stakes decision. Our findings suggest that while patients may be trying to get to the 'right place' for care immediately, the extra time spent traveling appears to come with a clinical cost, including more severe illness by the time they reach the operating room. We need to understand what's driving these decisions and how we can better support patients in getting timely, effective care.”

— Mustafa Abid, MD, Senior author of the study (American College of Surgeons)

What’s next

Researchers plan to further investigate the factors that influence patients' decisions to bypass their nearest hospital, with the goal of developing strategies to ensure patients receive the most appropriate and timely care.

The takeaway

This study underscores the need for a deeper understanding of the complex factors driving patients to bypass their closest hospitals, even when doing so may result in worse clinical outcomes. Addressing this issue will require a collaborative effort between healthcare providers, policymakers, and community stakeholders to ensure all patients have access to high-quality, convenient care.