title: Educational value of morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences: are minor complications important?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Often, minor complications are not reported in morbidity and mortality (M&M) conference because they are considered insignificant to patient outcome. As part of an effort to improve the quality of the M&M conference, we sought to integrate a specific, focused intervention to improve the reporting of minor complications and to evaluate the perception of its educational value.
  
  
  METHODS
  To provide evidence-based training in recognizing, treating, and preventing minor complications, a presentation strategy was created. Surgical faculty identified 20 complications as minor complications. Each month, a junior resident was assigned to give a 10-minute presentation, assessing 1 of the 20 minor complications in depth during the M&M conference. To assess the impact of the intervention, we surveyed residents and faculty about the educational value of M&M conferences before and after implementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before introducing minor complication presentations into the M&M conference, only 58% of respondents indicated that minor complications should be reported at the conference. After the changes were implemented in minor complication reporting, 95% of respondents said that minor complications should be reported (p < 0.01). Eighty-nine percent of respondents found the minor complication presentations to be educationally beneficial. In addition, postsurvey respondents were also more likely than presurvey respondents to identify that a purpose of an M&M conference was to improve patient care (29% vs 71%, p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A formal, evidence-based presentation of minor complications can increase both the faculty and residents' perception of the importance of reporting minor complications at an M&M conference. Focused minor complication reporting should be incorporated into M&M curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin 53792, USA.
authors.forename: Marie K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Eugene F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003226:Congresses as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States