Pediatric Surgery Quality Program Records Two Firsts

The ACS Children’s Surgery Verification (CSV) Quality Improvement Program recently verified its first Level I specialty children’s center in oncology and its first Level II children’s hospital.

In February, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York City met all ACS CSV requirements to be verified as a Level I specialty children’s surgery center in oncology; in late January, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center met all requirements to be verified as a Level II children’s hospital. The accomplishments recognize both hospitals’ commitments to meeting the highest standards of care for children undergoing surgery.

“These verifications demonstrate the commitment of Palm Beach Children’s Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to providing pediatric surgical patients with high-quality, coordinated care as well as supportive services and resources addressing the full continuum of care for children in their communities,” said Clifford Y. Ko, MD, MS, MSHS, FACS, Director, ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care.

Research has shown the value of such quality improvement programs. Recently,a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that for Level I children’s hospitals, participating in the CSV program cut hospital stays by more than a day, and significantly curbed narcotics use in children who had major operations for traumatic femur fractures.