ACS quality and safety case studies 
Using the palliative performance scale to increase goals of care conversations(0)
The results of a quality improvement initiative at Rutgers New Jersey University Hospital, Newark, focused on increasing goals of care conversations in older patients with low pre-injury palliative performance scale scores.

Reducing duration of postoperative prophylactic antibiotics in neonatal surgery
The results of a quality improvement initiative in the intensive care unit at the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, focused on reducing inappropriate prophylactic antibiotic use in neonatal patients.

Reducing returns to the operating room
Technology has continued to drive advances in surgery toward more minimally invasive, cost-conscious, patient-centric procedures. At the same time, the battle to prevent surgical complications has taken center stage as a means to improve patient outcomes and reduce overall health care costs for both patients and hospitals. Complications and their associated costs after surgical intervention […]

Australian hospital calls in the COPS to improve care of older patients
As the world’s population ages, older people are increasingly presenting to the hospital with surgical problems that require assessment and management. Older patients face different challenges than their younger counterparts, including an increased risk of complications, death, and functional decline.1,2 The presence of frailty, cognitive impairment, and multiple comorbidities also contributes to poorer postoperative outcomes […]

Hospital aims to stop the clot in neurosurgery
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurrences are defined by a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), or both. VTE affects nearly one in 1,000 people and contributes to 60,000–100,000 deaths annually.* Risk factors for VTE can be both hereditary and acquired. We have come to understand that patients who require surgery are at a higher risk […]
More in this category
- Pediatric surgeons and gastroenterologists collaborate with outpatient community services to streamline outpatient gastrostomy tube placement
- Managing postoperative pain while limiting opioid prescriptions
- Virtual acute care for older patients reduces hospital length of stay
- Keep calm and stay out of the ICU: A comprehensive approach to reducing unplanned ICU admissions
- Postoperative pain and nausea protocols decrease LOS without increasing readmissions after laparoscopic gastric bypass
- Hospital-based preoperative clinic applies ERAS and Strong for Surgery guidelines to optimize patients for surgery
- ERAS leads to reduced length of stay for geriatric joint replacement patients
- ERAS program improves outcomes in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy
- New protocol leads to improved trauma decannulation rate
- Routine Foley catheter placement affects postoperative UTIs in bariatric surgery patients
- Enhanced recovery program benefits frail colon and rectal surgery patients
- Implementation of a pediatric trauma cervical spine clearance pathway
- Dedicated pre- and postoperative unit leads to fasttrack pathway for noncomplicated pediatric appendicitis
- ERABS leads to reduced opioid use among bariatric surgery patients
- UC Davis implements a clinical practice guideline for postoperative management of pediatric appendicitis