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National organization recognizes Upstate for quality care

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) has recognized Upstate University Hospital as one of 26 NSQIP participating hospitals in the United States to achieve exemplary outcomes for surgical patient care. NSQIP rates more than 300 hospitals.

“This recognition from the American College of Surgeons reflects Upstate University Hospital’s dedication to patient safety and quality patient care,” said David Duggan, the hospital’s chief quality officer and medical director. “Our participation in this national quality improvement program underscores our responsibility to our patients and our commitment to continuous quality improvement.“

As a participant in NSQIP, Upstate University Hospital is required to track the outcomes of inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures and collect data that directs patient safety and the quality of surgical care improvements.

According to NSQIP, Upstate University Hospital achieved exemplary outcomes in more than two of the following areas: DVT (deep vein thrombosis, thrombophlebitis and pulmonary embolism); cardiac incidents (cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction); pneumonia; surgical site infections; or urinary tract infection.

Risk-adjusted data from the June 2010 ACS NSQIP Semiannual Report, which uses general surgery cases from Jan. 1, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2009, were used to determine which hospitals demonstrated exemplary outcomes.

NSQIP is the only nationally validated quality improvement program that measures and enhances the care of surgical patients. This program measures the actual surgical results 30 days postoperatively as well as risk adjusts patient characteristics to compensate for differences among patient populations and acuity levels. The goal of NSQIP is to reduce surgical morbidity (infection or illness related to a surgical procedure) and surgical mortality (death related to a surgical procedure) and to provide a firm foundation for surgeons to apply what is known as the “best scientific evidence” to the practice of surgery.