National Quality Forum Metrics for Thoracic Surgery

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Quality Measurement
• Thoracic Surgery Performance Metrics
• National Quality Forum (NQF) Standards

Background:

• The National Quality Forum (NQF) endorses healthcare performance measures to enhance quality.
• NQF endorsement signifies the gold standard for healthcare measurement in the U.S.
• The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) stewards unique NQF-endorsed measures for general thoracic surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the six National Quality Forum (NQF)-endorsed general thoracic surgery measures managed by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS).
• To highlight the importance of these NQF measures in driving quality improvement in thoracic surgery.
• To categorize the STS measures into structure, process, and outcome types.

Main Methods:

• Identification and description of the six NQF-endorsed general thoracic surgery measures.
• Categorization of measures into structure, process, and outcome types.
• Explanation of the specific metrics within each category.

Main Results:

• The STS stewards one structure measure: participation in a national general thoracic surgery database.
• Two process measures include recording clinical stage and performance status before lung/esophageal resections.
• Three outcome measures assess risk-adjusted morbidity, mortality, and length of stay (e.g., post-lobectomy).

Conclusions:

• The Society of Thoracic Surgeons plays a crucial role in maintaining NQF-endorsed measures for general thoracic surgery.
• These measures provide a framework for evaluating and improving the quality of care in thoracic procedures.
• The STS-stewarded measures cover critical aspects of surgical care, from data participation to patient outcomes.