Preop Clinic QI Program Reduces LOS and Costs for Colorectal Patients

The ACS Quality Improvement Case Study Repository is a centralized platform of quality improvement projects implemented by participants of the ACS Quality Programs. Each of the curated projects in the repository has been formatted to follow the new ACS Quality Framework, allowing readers to easily understand the details of each project from planning through execution, data analysis, and lessons learned.

One such project, A Hospital-Based Preoperative Clinic: Patient Optimization with Enhanced Recovery After Surgery and Strong for Surgery, shows the power of the ACS Quality Verification Program (QVP) to address improvement of patient outcomes after surgery.

The report identifies the global and local program at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health of reducing length of stay (LOS) and costs. After attending the ACS Quality and Safety Conference, quality team members implemented enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and Strong for Surgery protocols and checklists for colorectal surgeries, built a multidisciplinary team, and reduced LOS (5.2 days after versus 7.3 before) and costs (variable costs were $4,359 after versus $6,346 before). Setbacks and useful tips for others interested in using the QVP are also explained.

Other cases in the repository focus on reducing GI surgery readmissions, managing postop pain with limited opioids, pediatric appendicitis, and ERAS for geriatric joint replacement.

See these and other projects in the Quality Improvement Case Study Repository. Participation in ACS Quality Programs is known to improve patient outcomes and safety.

If you have a quality improvement project to add to the case study repository, contact the ACS at ACSQualityFramework@facs.org.