Utilization of the Boston Children's Hospital SRTR Cohort Visualization Tool to increase team understanding of reporting cohorts.

Background: While reviewing outcomes metrics and data from the SRTR, it became apparent that prospective assessment of the SRTR reporting cohorts would be an important proactive strategy for internal quality control. It was particularly important to identify the number of patient deaths and graft failures within 1 year of transplant that would result in being flagged by the UNOS and the MPSC.

Methods: A simple Microsoft Excel line graph was created to visually display retrospective, current, and future SRTR cohorts.

Predictors and correlates of dissatisfaction with intensive care.

Objective: Dissatisfaction is an important threat to high-quality care. The aim of this study was to identify factors independently associated with dissatisfaction with critical care.

Design: Prospectively collected observational cohort study.

Design and measurement of quality improvement indicators in ambulatory pulmonary care: creating a "culture of quality" in an academic pulmonary division.

Background: Quality improvement (QI) measures often are cited as goals for individual practices and medical centers and may someday form a component of reimbursement guidelines. Relatively few QI metrics relevant to ambulatory pulmonary medicine have been published. We describe the development and implementation of a QI program in an academic pulmonary division, including progress to date and lessons learned.