The practicing surgeon as a member of the quality-safety team

The practicing surgeon is a valuable member of the quality-safety team and is often an underutilized data source for quality initiatives. The authors describe how their efforts in Kentucky, during a 10-year period, encouraged surgeons to become leaders in the quality initiative. Their experience began with the establishment of an organization of surgeons devoted to quality health care and cost control. As their efforts expanded and they gained experience, they were well prepared to transition to a regional and national quality initiative as part of a collaborative effort with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the 2004 Surgical Care Improvement Project pilot. As a result of this ongoing experience, the authors we have been able to affect the quality of health care and have a positive influence on health care cost. They have demonstrated that surgeons will participate in and lead quality initiatives, and that these efforts foster an environment of cooperation between surgeons and hospitals.