The Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) is a national quality partnership of organizations focused on improving surgical care by significantly reducing surgical complications. It is a unique partnership that is proving to be a transformational undertaking in health care. The SCIP goal is to reduce the incidence of surgical complications nationally by 25 percent by the year 2010.
To monitor the quality of that care, we track specific quality measures and compare them to benchmark measures at local levels. We publish these quality measures so you can draw your own conclusions regarding your health care choices. Our comparison numbers are from Hospital Compare, an online tool provided by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. For additional detailed information select the "click for details" buttons on the left. The numbers used in these tables are from October 2008 through September 2009 and include patients with Medicare, those enrolled in Medicare health plans and those who don't have Medicare.
Note: Higher percentages are better for all measures listed.
Hospitals can prevent surgical wound infections. Medical research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their surgery are less likely to get wound infections. The timing is important: getting an antibiotic earlier, or after surgery begins, is not as effective. Hospital staff should make sure patients get antibiotics at the right time.
Appropriate antibiotic given -- Outpatient
89% of 249 patients
94% of 36 patients
88% of 66 patients
97% of 60 patients
100% of 53 patients
100%
Hospitals can prevent surgical wound infections. Medical research has shown that certain antibiotics work better to prevent wound infections for certain types of surgery. Hospital staff should make sure patients get the antibiotic that works best for their type of surgery.
Beta blocker users kept on drug
91% of 274 patients
99% of 85 patients
72% of 69 patients
96% of 94 patients
89% of 114 patients
100%
It is often standard procedure to stop patients' usual medications for awhile before and after their surgery. But if patients who have been taking beta blockers suddenly stop taking them, they can have heart problems such as a fast heart beat. For these patients, staying on beta blockers before and after surgery makes it less likely that they will have heart problems.
Antibiotic given at right time
91% of 1254 patients
98% of 406 patients
91% of 271 patients
98% of 347 patients
99% of 574 patients
100%
Surgical wound infections can be prevented. Medical research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their surgery are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic earlier, or after surgery begins, is not as effective. Hospital staff should make sure surgery patients get antibiotics at the right time. fshows the percentage of surgery patients who were given an antibiotic at the right time (within one hour before surgery) to help prevent infection.
Appropriate antibiotic given
96% of 1222 patients
99% of 408 patients
96% of 271 patients
97% of 351 patients
97% of 586 patients
100%
Surgical wound infections can be prevented. Medical research has shown that certain antibiotics work better to prevent wound infections for certain types of surgery. Hospital staff should make sure patients get the antibiotic that works best for their type of surgery. The table above shows the percentage of surgery patients who were given the right kind of antibiotic to help prevent infection.
Timely halt of antibiotic
88% of 1213 patients
94% of 392 patients
77% of 256 patients
92% of 325 patients
91% of 546 patients
99%
Antibiotics are often given to patients before surgery to prevent infection. Taking these antibiotics for more than 24 hours after routine surgery is usually not necessary. Continuing the medication longer than necessary can increase the risk of side effects such as stomach aches and serious types of diarrhea. Also, when antibiotics are used for too long, patients can develop resistance to them and the antibiotics won't work as well. The table above shows the percentage of surgery patients whose preventive antibiotics were stopped at the right time (within 24 hours after surgery).
Even if heart surgery patients do not have diabetes, keeping their blood sugar under good control after surgery lowers the risk of infection and other problems. "Under good control" means their blood sugar should be 200 mg/dL or less when checked first thing in the morning. The table above shows the percentage of heart surgery patients whose blood sugar (blood glucose) is kept under good control in the days right after surgery.
Safer hair removal
98% of 1463 patients
99% of 555 patients
90% of 388 patients
100% of 541 patients
100% of 739 patients
100%
Preparing a patient for surgery may include removing body hair from skin in the area where the surgery will be done. Medical research has shown that shaving with a razor can increase the risk of infection. It is safer to use electric clippers or hair removal cream. The table above shows the percentage of surgery patients needing hair removed from the surgical area before surgery, who had hair removed using a safer method (electric clippers or hair removal cream -- not a razor).
Clot treatment ordered
85% of 254 patients
93% of 98 patients
94% of 157 patients
97% of 186 patients
86% of 164 patients
100%
Certain surgeries increase the risk that the patient will develop a blood clot (venous thromboembolism). When patients stay still for a long time after some types of surgery, they are more likely to develop a blood clot in the veins of the legs, thighs, or pelvis. A blood clot slows down the flow of blood, causing swelling, redness, and pain. A blood clot can also break off and travel to other parts of the body. If the blood clot gets into the lung, it is a serious problem that can cause death. To help prevent blood clots from forming after surgery, doctors can order treatments to be used just before or after the surgery. These include blood-thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that help with blood flow in the legs. The table above shows the percentage of surgery patients whose physicians ordered treatments to prevent blood clots after certain types of surgeries.
Clot treatment received
85% of 254 patients
96% of 95 patients
90% of 157 patients
94% of 186 patients
82% of 164 patients
100%
Many factors influence a surgery patient's risk of developing a blood clot, including the type of surgery. When patients stay still for a long time after some types of surgery, they are more likely to develop a blood clot in the veins of the legs, thighs, or pelvis. A blood clot slows down the flow of blood, causing swelling, redness, and pain. A blood clot can also break off and travel to other parts of the body. If the blood clot gets into the lung, it is a serious problem that can sometimes cause death. Treatments to help prevent blood clots from forming after surgery include blood-thinning medications, elastic support stockings, or mechanical air stockings that help with blood flow in the legs. These treatments need to be started at the right time, which is typically during the period that begins 24 hours before surgery and ends 24 hours after surgery. The table above shows the percentage of surgery patients who got treatment at the right time (within 24 hours before or after their surgery) to help prevent blood clots after certain types of surgery.
Please note: The information presented on this web site is in no way a guarantee of results. Please talk with your physician if you have questions or concerns about your care at University Hospital. Updated: 7-12-10
