title: Measuring outcomes in cleft lip and palate treatment.
abstract: Measuring meaningful outcomes in cleft lip and palate surgery is difficult. Many methods of measurement lack validity or reliability, are impractical to implement, or are not consistently used. Yet the power of measuring outcomes is so great, and the potential to improve patients' lives so strong, that these hurdles are worth overcoming. This chapter reviews previous efforts at outcome measurement from cleft centers around the world. It also suggests a framework for adopting outcome measurement within your practice. Challenges of measurement are discussed, along with the role outcome reporting will take in accreditation and quality management.
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 2020, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA. Electronic address: Thomas.Sitzman@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Sitzman
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic, Maxillofacial, and Oral Surgery, Children's Health Center, Duke University Hospital, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Allori
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, North Thames Cleft Centre, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thorburn
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002971:Cleft Lip / Q000601:surgery*; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000601:surgery*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000592:standards*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D058996:Quality Improvement; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Cleft lip; Cleft palate; Cleft surgery; Evidence base; Outcome data; Outcomes measurement