Quality assessment of cardiac surgery in Britain.
Data are available for every Cardiac Surgery unit in Britain and in 70 % are identifiable by surgeon. The data are linked to registration of deaths so survival for a range of operations, and associated patient or procedure related factors, can be evaluated. The choice of statistical triggers (outside 99.99 % confidence intervals) and the time frames of reported data (averaged over three years) (See P.285/353 of the report http://www.scts.org/documents/PDF/5thBlueBook2003.pdf) reduces its value as an early warning system but the rigour of data collecting systems and the level of scrutiny required probably ensure that poor performance will be detected.
Treasure
T
T
Clinical Operational Research Unit, UCL (Department of Mathematics), London. tom.treasure@gmail.com
Bridgewater
B
B
Gallivan
S
S
D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality / Q000592:standards*; D003133:Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities / Q000592:standards; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008511:Medicine / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012308:Risk Management / Q000592:standards; D012423:Rural Health / Q000592:standards; D012941:Social Responsibility; D015996:Survival Rate; D006113:United Kingdom