Most cardiothoracic surgeons oppose the publication of surgeon specific mortality data, a UK survey reveals. Of 264 consultant cardiothoracic surgeons in the United Kingdom who completed a survey  58.1% opposed release of the data, while 34.1% were in favour. Respondents said they feared that publication could lead to risk averse behaviour among surgeons, gaming of data, and misinterpretation of data by the public.

However the majority of respondents supported publication of team-based measures of outcome, because most believe that quality of care is multifactorial and not represented by an individual’s mortality rate.