title: Quality improvement in cardiac critical care.
abstract: Our quality improvement program began in 2004 to improve cardiac surgery outcomes. Early tracheal extubation in the cardiovascular intensive unit was utilized as a multidisciplinary driver for the quality improvement program. Continuous improvement in the rate of early extubation to drive multidisciplinary quality improvement in cardiac critical care correlated with decreased mortality, morbidity, and improved operational efficiency. Supportive educational efforts included, but were not limited to, principles of change, trust, competing values, crew resource management, evidence based medicine, and quality improvement.
authors: Carolinas Heart and Vascular Institute, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Lobdell
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Camp
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Stamou
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Swanson
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Reames
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Madjarov
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Stiegel
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Skipper
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Geller
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Velardo
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mishra
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Robicsek
keywords: cardiac surgery; fast track; mechanical ventilation; quality improvement