Decentralized, inconsistent healthcare delivery results in variable outcomes and wastes nearly one trillion dollars annually in the United States (US). Congenital heart surgery (CHS) is not immune due to high, variable costs and inconsistent outcomes across hospitals. Many European countries and Canada have addressed these issues by regionalizing CHS. Centralizing resources lowers costs, reduces in-hospital mortality and improves long-term survival. Although the impact on travel distance for patients is limited, the effect on healthcare disparities requires study. This review summarizes current data and integrates these into paths to regionalization through health policy, research, and academic collaboration.

中文翻译：

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先天性心脏外科护理的区域化：需要什么。

在美国（US），分散、不一致的医疗保健服务导致结果不一，每年浪费近一万亿美元。先天性心脏手术 (CHS) 由于高昂、多变的成本和医院间不一致的结果而无法幸免。许多欧洲国家和加拿大已通过将 CHS 区域化来解决这些问题。集中资源可以降低成本、降低住院死亡率并提高长期生存率。尽管对患者出行距离的影响有限，但对医疗保健差异的影响需要研究。本综述总结了当前数据，并将这些数据整合到通过卫生政策、研究和学术合作实现区域化的路径中。