This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal 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 Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Likosky, D. S. Articles by Ross, C. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Likosky, D. S. Articles by Ross, C. S. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Improving Outcomes of Cardiac Surgery Through Cooperative Efforts: The Northern New England Experience

Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group; Department of Surgery, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756; donald.s.likosky{at}dartmouth.edu

William C. Nugent, MD

Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group; Department of Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery Section, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH

Cathy S. Ross

Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group; Department of Community & Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is an effective procedure for relieving angina. In 1987, the Health Care Financing Administration published surgeon-specific mortality rates, prompting the formation of the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group (NNECDSG). This regional collaborative of all medical centers performing cardiovascular procedures in northern New England began collecting data concerning patient and disease characteristics and adverse outcomes in an effort to improve the care provided to their patients. An initial quality improvement effort resulted in a 24% reduction in in-hospital mortality. Subsequent efforts have involved the development and implementation of quality improvement initiatives to redesign care to reduce further a patient's risk of mortality and other morbidities. More recently, we have adopted this model to reduce a patient's risk of neurologic injury. In this study, we are intensively monitoring patients intraoperatively with transcranial Doppler and near infrared spectroscopy as well as collecting hemodynamic data, and are synchronizing this data with a video of the surgical site. The goal of the study is to identify the association between clinical strategies and the development of the precursors of neurologic injury and use a quality improvement approach to redesign care to reduce occurrence of these precursors.

Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, Vol. 9, No. 2, 119-121 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/108925320500900203


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

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. P. Drozda Jr, E. P. Hagan, M. J. Mirro, E. D. Peterson, and J. S. Wright ACCF 2008 Health Policy Statement on Principles for Public Reporting of Physician Performance Data: A Report of the American College of Cardiology Foundation Writing Committee to Develop Principles for Public Reporting of Physician Performance Data J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., May 20, 2008; 51(20): 1993 - 2001. [Full Text] [PDF]