title: Towards optimal surgical outcomes.
abstract: Until relatively recently, quality in healthcare was difficult both to define and measure. Now that this is possible, healthcare providers must quickly adopt information technology to facilitate both the assessment of performance and improvement. Such improvements require recognition of the role of systems of care and the need to change these systems in order to improve performance. In the coming years, the tension between the pressure for quality improvement and the pressure for cost-containment is likely to increase.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, American Board of Surgery, Suite 860, PA 19103, USA. rrhodes@absurgery.org
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Resnick