Outcomes research in pediatric surgery. Part 1: overview and resources

Outcomes research in pediatric surgery can be defined as the analysis of pediatric surgical outcomes and their predictors at different levels in the health care delivery system. The objectives of this article are to understand the differences between outcomes research and clinical trials as well as to gain familiarity with public multispecialty and specialty-specific databases. The utility of outcomes research extends to benchmarking the quality of care, refinement of management strategies, patient education, and marketing. Assessment of the integration of a new surgical technique into the health care system is best determined by examining a population-based registry, whereas comparative efficacy of surgical procedures is best assessed by randomized clinical trials. In the first part of this 2-part series, an overview and brief outline of available resources for outcomes research in pediatric surgery are reviewed. In part 2, a template is presented on how to structure and design an outcomes research question.