Relationship of processes and structures of care in general surgery to postoperative outcomes: a qualitative analysis.
BACKGROUND
With increased focus on improving surgical care quality, understanding structures and processes that influence surgical care is timely and important, as is more precise specification of these through improved measurement.


METHODS
We conducted a qualitative study to help design a quantitative survey of structures and processes of surgical care. We audiotaped 44 face-to-face interviews with surgical care leaders and other diverse members of the surgical care team from 6 hospitals (two Veterans Affairs, four private sector). Qualitative interviews were transcribed and analyzed to identify common structures and processes mentioned by interviewees to include on a quantitative survey and to develop a rich description of salient themes on indicators of effective surgical care services and surgical care teams.


RESULTS
Qualitative analyses of transcripts resulted in detailed descriptions of structures and processes of surgical care services that affected surgical care team performance--and how particular structures led to effective and ineffective processes that impacted quality and outcomes of surgical care. Communication and care coordination were most frequently mentioned as essential to effective surgical care services and teams. Informants also described other influences on surgical quality and outcomes, such as staffing, the role of residents, and team composition and continuity.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgical care team members reinforced the importance of understanding surgical care processes and structures to improve both quality and outcomes of surgical care. The analysis of interviews helped the study team identify potential measures of structures and processes to include in our quantitative survey.
Main
Deborah S
DS
Colorado Health Outcomes Program, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80045-0508, USA. debbi.main@uchsc.edu
Cavender
Tia A
TA
Nowels
Carolyn T
CT
Henderson
William G
WG
Fink
Aaron S
AS
Khuri
Shukri F
SF
D003142:Communication; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D010819:Physician's Role; D017149:Private Sector; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome