Quality, Safety & Outcomes Resources

The EAST Quality, Safety, and Outcomes resource page has been assembled by the EAST Quality, Safety, and Outcomes Committee to provide links and descriptors of common tools, programs, and databases used for quality improvement efforts and patient safety projects.

Scroll down below for risk calculators, EAST publications and Traumacasts on quality and safety topics, as well as many links to national database and quality programs.

Quality Resources / Tools

ACS Quality Framework – The American College of Surgeons Quality Framework is a set of criteria for planning, conducting, and reporting projects in quality improvement. It can be requested through the ACS. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/qi-resources/quality-framework/

Resources for Optimal Care of the Injured Patient – This handbook contains the standards and principles used for trauma center verification. It was most recently revised in December 2023 and is available for download as a PDF. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/verification-review-and-consultation-program/standards/

TQP Best Practices Guidelines – The American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Program has developed teams of experts to create multiple guidelines for improving the quality of care provided to trauma patients. The consensus guidelines provide evidence-based literature supporting the practice guidelines. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/best-practices-guidelines/

ACS Risk Calculator – This risk calculator estimates the chance of complication or death via a machine learning methodology. https://riskcalculator.facs.org/RiskCalculator/

POTTER Risk Calculator – This is an app derived from NSQIP for emergency surgery patients to predict morbidity and mortality following operative management. Literature: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30124479/ Link to app: https://www.interpretable.ai/solutions/potter/

AHRQ Quality Indicators – The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has established several quality indicators, including many around patient safety and identifying opportunities for improving the quality of patient care delivered. https://qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/measures/qi_resources

CMS Value-Based Programs – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has several programs that incentivize healthcare providers and systems to provide high-quality care. Among these programs are the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRPP) and the Hospital Acquired Conditions (HAC) Reduction Program. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/value-based-programs

Quality Programs

ACS Trauma Verification – The American College of Surgeons has a verification process for certifying trauma centers based on numerous programmatic features, policies, resources, readiness, and improvement criteria. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/verification-review-and-consultation-program/

ACS EGS Verification – The American College of Surgeons has developed a national verification process for quality evaluation of EGS programs, focusing on the wide breadth of patients cared for by EGS services. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/accreditation-and-verification/emergency-general-surgery/

Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation – The PTSF is the accrediting body for trauma centers within the state of Pennsylvania. Numerous states have similar bodies for state-level accreditation. The PTSF provides numerous resources for performance improvement and patient safety. https://www.ptsf.org/

Quality Databases

TQIP – Trauma Quality Improvement Program. Established in 2009. This program collects data from levels 1-3 trauma centers. The program provides risk-adjusted benchmarking for participating trauma centers. There are 2 reports per year. Spring and Fall. There are also educational resources, best practice guidelines, and a yearly national conference. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/trauma-quality-improvement-program/

NSQIP – National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Established in 2004. This program collects data from surgical specialties and provides risk-adjusted benchmarking. Outcomes are case-mix adjusted and followed for 30 days following a surgical procedure. Can be utilized for emergency general surgery, vascular and quality verification programs. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/data-and-registries/acs-nsqip/

NTDB – National Trauma Data Bank. Established in 1989. Largest aggregation of US trauma registry data from levels 1-5 trauma centers and undesignated centers. It creates and distributes research data sets. Annual adult and pediatric reports were retired in 2016. National trauma data standard released in 2006. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/quality/national-trauma-data-bank/

PTOS – PTSF Trauma Registry Data Set. Main data repository for the Pennsylvania Trauma System Foundation. All accredited trauma centers are required to submit data. Does not include data from unaccredited centers. Data consists of demographics, pre-hospital information, process of acute care information, clinical data, outcome data, diagnosis, procedures, and payor-class information. https://www.ptsf.org/research/

VIZIENT – Founded in 2016. A CMS qualified entity. VIZIENT is a performance improvement company that has access to Medicare claims data. Public reports are generated on an annual basis measuring quality, efficiency, effectiveness, and resource utilization. Databases include clinical and operational. https://www.vizientinc.com/

Training Programs

Chief Resident in Quality and Patient Safety – The CRQS program is a nationally-administered training program that equips participants with the skills needed to prevent healthcare errors and to optimize healthcare delivery. It is a one-year training program that emphasizes high-reliability organization (HRO) methodology. https://patientsafety.va.gov/PATIENTSAFETY/professionals/training/chief-resident-program.asp

ACS Educational Courses

ATLS – Advanced Trauma Life Support. This course provides a scaffold for evaluation, treatment, education and quality assurance. Participants learn to assess, resuscitate, stabilize, determine if the patient’s needs exceed a facility’s capabilities, arrange transfer and assure optimal care. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/education/advanced-trauma-life-support/

ASSET – Advanced Surgical Skills for Exposure in Trauma. One-day cadaver course to learn exposures important for the care of trauma patients. Areas include neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, upper and lower extremities. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/education/asset/

ATOM – Advanced Trauma Operative Management. One-day course teaching operative techniques for the management of penetrating injuries the chest and abdomen. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/education/advanced-trauma-operative-management/

DMEP – Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness. Course available in person or fully online. Teaches planning methods, preparedness, and medical management of trauma patients in mass casualty disaster situations. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/education/disaster-management-and-emergency-preparedness/

BEST – Basic Endovascular Skills for Trauma. A hands-on training course using perfused cadavers. This course teaches REBOA, CFA access including open and percutaneous, and CFA repair. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/education/basic-endovascular-skills-for-trauma/

Rural Trauma Team Development Course (RTTDC). https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/education/rural-trauma-team-development-course/

Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) Educational Course

TOPIC – Trauma Outcomes and Performance Improvement Course. A one-day interactive course offered by the society of trauma nurses. It teaches how to develop and maintain a trauma performance improvement program. Students learn to utilize a structured review of processes to monitor trauma patient outcomes. https://www.traumanurses.org/education/stn-topic