Standardised metrics for global surgical surveillance

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 374; no. 9695; pp. 1113 - 1117
• Main Authors: Weiser, Thomas G, MD, Makary, Martin A, MD, Haynes, Alex B, MD, Dziekan, Gerald, MD, Berry, William R, MD, Gawande, Atul A, Dr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 26.09.2009; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Colleges & universities; Data Collection; General aspects; Health Policy; Health services; Health surveillance; Hospital Mortality; Hospitals; Humans; Infant mortality; Internal Medicine; Internationality; Life expectancy; Medical sciences; Patient safety; Public health; Quality Indicators, Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Resource allocation; Safety programs; Surgical Procedures, Operative - mortality; Surgical Procedures, Operative - standards; Surgical Procedures, Operative - statistics & numerical data; Medicine; Treatment; Surveillance; Surgery; Standardization

Summary Public health surveillance relies on standardised metrics to evaluate disease burden and health system performance. Such metrics have not been developed for surgical services despite increasing volume, substantial cost, and high rates of death and disability associated with surgery. The Safe...