['The purpose of this study is (1) to define the proportion of patients undergoing emergent open repair of thoracic aortic dissection admitted directly through the emergency room versus those transferred from outside hospitals and (2) to determine if a volume-outcomes relationship exists for those patients across admission types.', 'De-identified patient-level data was obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2004-2008). Patients undergoing emergent aortic surgery for thoracic aortic dissection (n\u2009=\u20091,507) were identified by ICD-9 codes and stratified by annual center volume into low volume (≤5 cases/year) (n\u2009=\u2009963; 63.9\xa0%), intermediate volume (6-10 cases/year) (n\u2009=\u2009370; 24.5\xa0%), and high volume (≥11 cases/year) (n\u2009=\u2009174; 11.6\xa0%) groups. The analysis was further stratified by admission type: direct admission (DA), transfer admission (TA), and other. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed comparing outcomes between high vs low and high vs intermediate volume centers.', 'Overall in-hospital mortality was 21.8\xa0% (n\u2009=\u2009328/1,507). Absolute percent mortality at high volume centers was significantly lower (12.6\xa0%) than at medium (20.6\xa0%) and low volume (23.9\xa0%) centers. For DA patients, mortality was 10.6, 21.4, and 24.0\xa0% for high, medium, and low volume centers respectively. For TA patients, mortality was 10.2, 12.7, and 23.5\xa0% for high, medium, and low volume centers, respectively. Multivariate analysis suggested that patients in low volume center were more likely to die compared to high volume center (Odds Ratio 2.06, 95\xa0% CI 1.25 - 3.38, p\u2009=\u20090.004). Admission source was not associated with increased mortality.'] Are outcomes following emergent open repair for thoracic aortic dissection improved at higher volume centers in direct admissions and transfers?