This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kroon, H. M. Articles by Lardenoye, J. W. H. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kroon, H. M. Articles by Lardenoye, J. W. H. P. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Can the Incidence of Unplanned Reoperations Be Used as an Indicator of Quality of Care in Surgery?

Department of General Surgery, Hagaziekenhuis, Location Red Cross,, The Hague, the Netherlands

Paul J. Breslau, MD, PhD

Department of General Surgery, Hagaziekenhuis, Location Red Cross, Sportlaan 600, 2566 MJ Den Haag, the Netherlands, heelkunde{at}hagaziekenhuis.nl)

Jan Willem H. P. Lardenoye, MD, PhD

Department of General Surgery, Hagaziekenhuis, Location Red Cross,, The Hague, the Netherlands

The incidence of unplanned reoperations could potentially be used as an indicator of quality of care. This study provided insight into the incidence of unplanned reoperations in a surgical department and added to the discussion of the value of unplanned reoperations as an indicator of quality of care. Between January 1996 and December 2003, all unplanned reoperations were entered prospectively into a complication registration system. The number of unplanned reoperations was 447 (1.7%). Unplanned reoperations occurred frequently after vascular (6.5%) and colon surgery (5.7%) and were caused predominantly by errors in surgical technique (70%) and patients' comorbidities (21%). Mortality for patients requiring unplanned reoperations was significantly higher than for patients who did not require reoperations (10.3% versus 4.0%). Unplanned reoperation rates can be an indicator of quality of care. However, a prospective, well-defined registry is essential to ensure an accurate assessment of the quality of care provided. (Am J Med Qual 2007;22:198-202)

Key Words: unplanned reoperation • indicator • quality of care

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. J. Ploeg, C. P. E. Lange, J.-W. Lardenoye, and P. J. Breslau The Incidence of Unplanned Returns to the Operating Room After Peripheral Arterial Bypass Surgery and Its Value as Indicator of Quality of Care Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, March 1, 2008; 42(1): 19 - 24. [Abstract] [PDF]