The outcomes of the complex Whipple procedure—an operation to remove tumors in the pancreas—have further improved since the merger of AMC and VUmc. This is shown in a new study led by Professor Marc Besselink, surgeon at Amsterdam UMC Cancer Center Amsterdam, published in Annals of Surgery. 

Research has long shown that patients recover better and face fewer complications or risk of death when their surgery is performed in a high-volume hospital with extensive experience in complex procedures. Until now, most studies focused on hospitals performing 10 to 50 such surgeries per year. But what happens when two academic centers, each already highly experienced, merge and together perform more than 130 of these operations annually? 

Clear benefits for patients 

Previous U.S. studies have suggested that when a hospital is taken over by a larger institution, patient experience can worsen and outcomes may not necessarily improve. “That’s why it’s important to study whether a merger between hospitals on equal footing can actually benefit patients,” explains Profesor Besselink. 

1000 patients studied 

That appears to be the case for pancreatic surgery. Since the 2021 merger, Besselink and his team followed 500 patients who underwent the Whipple procedure and compared their results to 500 patients treated before the merger. 

Even better results 

“The merger of two expert centers for pancreatic surgery has indeed led to even better outcomes,” says Besselink. “We saw fewer severe complications, better management of complications when they occurred, and a lower mortality rate.” The percentage of patients who died in the hospital after surgery fell from 2.0% to 0.4%, and the average hospital stay decreased from 10 to 8 days. 

Higher quality through collaboration 

According to the researchers, these improvements are the result of a structured quality program around pancreatic surgery and the higher case volume. “This demonstrates that centralization, when combined with a clear quality framework, can truly lead to better outcomes for patients.” 

Other teams within Amsterdam UMC are also examining how the merger has impacted results across different surgeries and treatments.