Department of Surgery

Education:

• MD, 1990, Queen’s University, Canada
• PhD, 1996, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Canada
• MPH, 2000, School of Public Health, University of Washington, U.S.

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Senior scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Tory Trauma Program (director), Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Surgeon-in-chief and trauma surgeon, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Professor, department of surgery, U of T
• Adjunct scientist, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences
• Institute of Medical Science, U of T
• Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, U of T
• Director, American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program

Research Foci:

• Health services
• Injury and trauma systems
• Emergency surgical care
• Performance improvement
• Patient safety

Research Summary:

Dr. Nathens’ research interests include trauma systems and emergency surgical care with a particular focus on access and quality. He uses a variety of methodological approaches, including cohort studies and qualitative analyses. His work is designed to be policy-oriented and actionable through changes in structure or processes of care at the institution or system level.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Nathens AB, Jurkovich GJ, Cummings P, Rivara FP, Maier RV. The effect of organized systems of trauma care on motor vehicle crash mortality. JAMA. 2000;283(15):1990–4.
2. Mackenzie EJ, Rivara FP, Jurkovich GJ, Nathens AB, Frey KP, Egleston BL, Salkever DS, Scharfstein DO. A national evaluation of the effect of trauma-center care on mortality. N Engl J Med. 2006;354(4):366–78.
3. Newgard C, Fildes J, Wu L, Hemmila MR, Burd RS, Neal M, Mann NC, Shafi S, Clark DE, Goble S, Nathens AB. Methodology and analytic rationale for the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality 
Improvement Program (TQIP). J Am Coll Surg. 2013 Jan 21;216(1):147–57.
4. Gomez D, Haas B, Doumouras AG, Zagorski B, Ray J, Rubenfeld G, McLellan BA, Boyes DM and Nathens AB. A population-based analysis of the discrepancy between potential and realized access to trauma center care. Ann Surg. 2013 Jan;257(1):160–5.
5. de Mestral C, Laupacis A, Rotstein OD, Hoch JS, Haas B, Gomez D, Zagorski B, Nathens AB. Early cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis: a population-based retrospective cohort study of variation in practice. CMAJ Open. 2013;1:E62–E67.

Related News and Stories:

• Undaunted: journey through trauma: one man's story of survival and healing (SRI Magazine, 2017)
• Blood not so simple: preventing trauma patients from bleeding out is one of the most challenging tasks a trauma team faces—but so is ensuring they don't get lethal blood clots (SRI Magazine, 2017)
• You only get one shot: when it comes to transporting a severely injured patient to hospital, there are no second chances (SRI Magazine, 2017)
• CIHR responds to revolt while releasing results: Peer rebellion brings promise of change to granting agency (July 18, 2016)
• Poster competition turns on the heat: Summer students showcase diverse research projects (Aug. 26, 2015)
• STOP-IT Trial Shows Short Course of Antibiotics Safe for Treating Intra-Abdominal Infections: Results also relevant to global health effort to halt the overuse of antibiotics (SRI Magazine, 2015)
• Close enough to hospital if Ornge can’t get you there? (from Ontario Today, CBC Radio One, June 13, 2012)
• Ontario hospitals and EMS have what it takes when minutes matter (Toronto Star, June 11, 2012)
• More patients should be sent to trauma centres, study finds (Toronto Star, June 9, 2012)
• Ornge under fire after two deaths linked to delay (from Ontario Today, CBC Radio One, May 16, 2012)
• Seniors, women less likely to be transported to trauma centres, researcher says (Toronto Star, Aug. 1, 2011)
• St. Mike’s offers first trauma program for seniors (Toronto Star, Aug. 1, 2011)
• Ontarians overestimate access to trauma care, specialists’ poll shows (The Globe and Mail, July 29, 2011)

Related Links:

• U of T profile, general surgery