Abdominal wall surgery units accreditation. The Spanish model

Area of Science:

• Surgery
• Surgical Education
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC) recognizes the need to standardize advanced surgical training.
• Current practices in specialized surgical units lack uniform accreditation criteria.
• Defining specialized surgical units is crucial for consistent quality in care, teaching, and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a regulation for the accreditation of specialized surgical units.
• To present a pioneering accreditation model specifically for Abdominal Wall Surgery Units.
• To assess the current status of Abdominal Wall Surgery Units in Spain through a survey.

Main Methods:

• Development of a proposed accreditation model for Abdominal Wall Surgery Units.
• Conducting a national survey to evaluate existing units.
• Defining criteria for specialized surgical units based on provision, solvency, and specialization.

Main Results:

• A proposed accreditation model for Abdominal Wall Surgery Units has been developed.
• A survey was conducted to assess the current state of these specialized units in Spain.
• The proposed model is among the first of its kind globally for this surgical subspecialty.

Conclusions:

• Accreditation is essential for defining and regulating high-specialization competencies in surgery.
• The proposed model provides a framework for specialized surgical units.
• This initiative represents a significant step towards standardizing abdominal wall surgery care and research.