Regional Thoracic Surgery Quality Collaboration Formation: Providence Thoracic Surgery Initiative

Surgery quality initiatives improve clinical outcomes in cardiac and general surgery. No mature thoracic surgery (TS) regional effort has been described.

An intramural grant funded the Thoracic Surgery Initiative (TSI). Professional organization, site-specific administrative and clinical databases were used to identify surgeons performing TS across a large Western health system. Participants were recruited through stakeholder surveys, personal contact, and meetings. Differences in practices and outcomes were identified. Fourteen centers performing TS in 5 states formed the TSI with a mission to define, implement, and monitor TS quality.

A TS data system based on The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database was implemented. Clinical data from 2015 and 2016 revealed significant differences in outcomes. Clinical data allow quality implementation, including identification and propagation of internal best practices and monitoring. TS practice standardization was agreed to using predefined TS best practice components that were incorporated into standardized TS care documents. Standardized care document completion by providers was intended to provoke desired TS care. The standardized care documents reside on the system-wide electronic health record. Literature and substantial surgeon experience were used to develop standardized TS care pathways for important or common clinical scenarios (pneumonectomy, primary spontaneous pneumothorax, etc). The TSI internet site serves as a harbor for standardization products.

The TSI is evolving. Surgeon engagement remains high. The TSI enabled surgeons to lead, set the agenda, and remain in control of our destiny. Indeed, health care cannot appropriately evolve without such physician vision, engagement, and leadership.