| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 576-578 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Surgery |
| Volume | 135 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 2004 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
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In: Surgery, Vol. 135, No. 6, 06.2004, p. 576-578.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Invited commentary
T2 - Measurement of quality in surgery: That's our job
AU - Bass, Barbara Lee
N1 - Funding Information: An alternative to measurement of quality based on structure elements in administrative data sets is the accrual of concurrent clinical data to determine risk-adjusted outcomes. Prospective collection of strictly defined patient comorbidities and postoperative adverse events by trained nurse reviewers is the essence of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program developed in the VA health care system under the direction of Khuri, Henderson, and Daley over the last 18 years. 4 This program measures risk-adjusted surgical outcomes of mortality and morbidity for surgical departments throughout the VA health care system. Since its inception, mortality and morbidity rates in the VA health care system have dropped by 30% because surgical departments have been provided with actionable feedback regarding their results—the quality of the care they are providing. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) methodology is now being tested in a 3-year trial funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and sponsored by the American College of Surgeons at 17 private sector sites. Preliminary analyses suggest the NSQIP methodology is applicable to the more diverse patient population in the private sector. 9 It is anticipated that the NSQIP will be made available to surgical departments across the country as part of the American College of Surgeons' program in the coming months. Participating departments will be provided with ongoing appraisal of risk-adjusted general surgery and vascular surgery outcomes with the goal of identifying areas for improvement in surgical quality. While this system cannot be used yet to evaluate individual surgeon performance, the goal to be able to do so is implicit in defining optimal measures of quality.
PY - 2004/6
Y1 - 2004/6
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=3042532221&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=3042532221&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.surg.2004.05.001
DO - 10.1016/j.surg.2004.05.001
M3 - Editorial
C2 - 15179362
AN - SCOPUS:3042532221
SN - 0039-6060
VL - 135
SP - 576
EP - 578
JO - Surgery
JF - Surgery
IS - 6
ER -