Opportunities for improved performance in surgical specialty practice.

Objective: To identify opportunities for improvement in quality performance profile while maintaining better clinical outcomes.

Methods: A prospective study of 5285 surgical specialty procedures including hip and knee replacement, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, nonaccess vascular and cardiac procedures, and colorectal resections in 16 Kentucky hospitals was undertaken. The following observations were made after univariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis, from the Surgical Care Improvement Project.

Results: (1) Impaired functional status, age > or =65, and ASA class 4 or 5 status were significant predictors for both morbidity and mortality. (2) beta blockade medication was maintained in only 70% of patients already receiving such medications; interestingly, vascular surgery and patients with known cardiac history did not have beta blockade initiated 52% of the time. (3) Appropriate blood glucose control was not achieved in 31% of patients with diabetes and in 20% of nondiabetics. (4) deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis was independent of high-risk status, with wide variation in practice. Patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement or colorectal resections had highest rates (0.7%) of pulmonary emboli. (5) A poor choice of antibiotic prophylaxis agent occurred in 8% of patients and was associated with a 3-fold increase in mortality (P < 0.01). (6) Hypothermia on arrival in PACU was present in 7% of patients after major colorectal resections and was ominously associated with an over 4-fold increase in mortality (P < 0.01). (7) Preoperative WBC >11,000/mm in elective operations was associated with nearly 3-fold increase in mortality (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Now more than ever, surgeons must verify performance measures and outcomes. This study of clinical outcomes permits identification of underappreciated contemporary risk factors and some obvious measures by which surgical practices can more objectively be evaluated.