One of our final general sessions tackled standardization as a critical component of being able to understand opportunities to improve care. In this session, Amalia J. Stefanou, MD, FACS, FASCRS; Lillian S. Kao, MD, MS, FACS; Kristen Ban, MD, MS, FACS; and Mark Katlic, MD, MMM, FACS, described the importance of applying quality improvement principles to standardization and provided two examples of how standardization has been implemented.
During a Geriatric Surgery-focused panel moderated by Ronnie Rosenthal, MD, FACS, panelists Matthew Schiralli, MD, FACS, shared his experience from Rochester’s Unity Hospital; Sarah Wingfield, MD, said an outcome that truly matters to patients is functionality and explained how GSV addresses it; Mark Katlic, MD, FACS, recommended how hospitals can tackle key challenges; and Alexandra Briggs, MD, explained how coordinated care can promote value-based care.
Throughout 2022, the ACS Committee on Trauma and ACS Commission on Cancer are celebrating their 100-year anniversaries. Cancer Programs Medical Director Heidi Nelson, MD, FACS, and Trauma Quality Programs Medical Director Avery Nathen, MD, PhD, FACS, spoke about the work of each program, shared the most important findings both programs have brought to light, and discussed their impact on patient lives nationally and globally.
During the Quality Care Is Equitable Care general session, Cherisse Berry, MD, FACS; Kathie-Ann Joseph, MD, MPH, FACS; Kasper Wang, MD, FACS, FAAP; and Bonnie Mason, MD, FAAOS, focused on how health equity is linked to quality patient outcomes. They spoke about the economics of achieving health equity within a health system and how to develop and implement a health equity framework within organizations to ensure equity is included as a component of quality for institutions and providers.
Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS; Vivian Gahtan, MD, FACS; Caroline Reinke, MD, MSPH, FACS; and Feibi Zheng, MD, MBA, FACS, spoke about the definition of leadership and why it’s important, shared leadership decisions and approach techniques, and tips and tactics for negotiating how to get what is needed to improve patient care.