Southlake Regional Health Centre is one of 78 participating hospitals that is being recognized for surgical patient care in 2021 by the American College of Surgeons.
The Newmarket-based hospital is a member of the college's national surgical quality improvement program (ACS NSQIP) that commends a select group of hospitals for achieving a meritorious composite score in either an “all cases” category — for which Southlake was recognized — or a category that includes only “high risk” cases, according to a Southlake news release.
Risk-adjusted data from the July 2022 program's semi-annual report, which presents 2021 data, were used to determine which hospitals demonstrated meritorious outcomes.
As a participant in the program, Southlake is required to track the outcomes of inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures, as well as collect data that assesses patient safety to inform improvements in the quality of surgical care.
“We are thrilled to be named an ACS NSQIP meritorious hospital,” said Puneet Sandhu, Southlake's director of surgical program, in the news release. “Only 78 hospitals out of 685 were recognized with this distinction. Our achievement is a testament to the amazing teamwork of the surgical team at Southlake, as well as our dedication to patient care.”
Southlake and the other recognized hospitals achieved the distinction based on composite quality scores related to patient management in clinical areas that include: mortality, unplanned intubation, cardiac incidents, pneumonia, renal failure, surgical site and urinary tract infections, and ventilator use for more than 48 hours.
“Southlake’s surgical team provides compassionate care for patients while they prepare for, during and recover from surgery,” said Dr. John Randle, physician leader of surgical program. “They do everything they can do keep patients safe until they are able to return home. This recognition of their hard work is so well-deserved.”
The college's program is the only nationally validated quality improvement program that measures and enhances the care of surgical patients, according to Southlake, with the goal of reducing surgical morbidity and mortality, as well as providing the “best scientific evidence” to the practice of surgery. Furthermore, when adverse effects from surgical procedures are reduced or eliminated, a reduction in health care costs follows.
ACS NSQIP is a major program of the American College of Surgeons and is currently used in nearly 850 adult and pediatric hospitals.
Southlake acknowledges and thanks Dr. Shea Chia, NSQIP surgeon champion, and Jennifer Luebke, NSQIP clinical reviewer, who have been dedicated to championing this work for many years.
