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George C. Velmahos, MD, PhD, MSEd

Arch Surg. 2009;144(6):541-542.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma requires trauma centers to have a strong performance improvement program. The core of a performance improvement program is the morbidity and mortality conference. With the presenter on the hot (sometimes burning) seat, surgical complications are described, debated, and judged. The causes are analyzed, and preventability is assigned with the objective of avoiding recurrence. National programs such as the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and quality improvement organizations purpose to improve the quality of surgical care by accurately tracking surgical complications and preventable events. However, outcomes improvement is not always apparent.¹

Among the myriad reasons why this may happen, the lack of standard definitions could be crucial. What indeed is a surgical complication? How is it graded in severity or clinical importance? Who decides what is or is not preventable? The trauma group from the Los Angeles . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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