High‑risk patients see better results at hospitals with emergency general surgery model

Toronto, ON, January 21, 2026 – Patients with high-risk diagnoses who receive treatment in an emergency general surgery (EGS)-model hospital have a lower risk of death and complications, according to a new study from researchers at ICES, University of Manitoba (UM), and St. Michael’s Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto. 

The study identified 494,609 adults hospitalized with an EGS diagnosis from 2002 to 2019. Of these patients, 18 per cent were treated in an EGS-model centre and consistently had more health conditions.  

Hospitals with an EGS model typically have more staffing and critical care beds and increased operating room accessibility compared with hospitals with a surgeon on-call (SOC) model. The study suggests that higher-risk patients would benefit from receiving treatment at EGS-model centres. 

“We hypothesized that these overarching differences between different centre models, although not standardized in Canada, would have a meaningful association with clinical outcomes,” says UM’s Dr. Jordan Nantais, Assistant Professor, General Surgery, Max Rady College of Medicine, and an affiliate scientist with St. Michael’s Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, who recently completed his PhD work at the University of Toronto utilizing ICES data. 

Key findings:  

• The risk of death after 30 days for patients with high-risk diagnoses, such as intestinal ischemia, receiving care at a hospital with an EGS model of care was 15 per cent lower compared with those in a SOC model.  

• There was no significant difference in the outcomes for patients with low- and medium-risk conditions, whether treated in EGS or SOC models of care. 

• The number of patients with EGS conditions treated in an EGS model increased from two per cent of admissions in 2003 to 52 per cent by 2019. 

While EGS-model hospitals are differently resourced compared to ones with a SOC model, individual characteristics of the models implemented were not examined. The researchers were unable to determine which specific characteristics of the models were most responsible for the outcome improvements. 

The study “A population-level evaluation of emergency general surgery models of care and clinical outcomes” is in the January issue of JAMA Surgery.   

ICES is an independent, not-for-profit research and analytics institute that uses population-based health information to produce knowledge on a broad range of healthcare issues. ICES leads cutting-edge studies and analyses evaluating healthcare policy, delivery, and population outcomes. Our knowledge is highly regarded in Canada and abroad and is widely used by government, hospitals, planners, and practitioners to make decisions about healthcare delivery and to develop policy. For the latest ICES news, follow us on BlueSky and LinkedIn: @ICESOntario   

The University of Manitoba (UM) is recognized as Western Canada’s first university. It is part of the U15, ranking among Canada’s top research-intensive universities and provides exceptional undergraduate and graduate liberal arts, science and professional programs of study. UM campuses and research spaces are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anisininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Dene and Inuit, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. UM’s collaboration with Indigenous communities is grounded in respect and reciprocity. For more information, please visit umanitoba.ca. 

Unity Health Toronto is Canada’s largest Catholic health care provider with a wingspan across Toronto’s core. The breadth of services we provide, strengthened by community partnerships and academic affiliations, positions us as a national model for collaborative, integrated, high quality care as we work to build a stronger, resilient and equitable health system for all. 

Unity Health Toronto’s strength lies in the combined expertise of our sites. St. Joseph’s Health Centre is a community academic and acute care hospital supporting Toronto’s west end. St. Michael’s Hospital is a research-intensive academic health sciences centre offering world-class specialty programs for complex cases. Providence Healthcare is a campus of care for seniors, rehabilitation and long-term care. We also have a constellation of satellite clinics offering team-based primary care and community-based services.   

Our Mission and Values are the foundation of all that we do, and have been our guide since our founding by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto more than 150 years ago. We aim to provide compassionate, high quality care at every stage of our patients’ health journey, from pediatric to primary care, urgent and acute care, world-class specialty care programs, seniors care, rehabilitation, long-term care, palliative care and advanced care for the most complex patients. 

As a leading Canadian health research institution and learning destination of choice for health professionals, we are advancing healthcare for all united by one vision: The best care experiences, created together.   

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:   
Charlotte Lam 
Communications Associate
ICES  
[email protected]  
437-317-8804