The ACS and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) have launched the Emergency General Surgery Verification Program (EGS-VP), a new surgical quality program that will help hospitals establish and maintain the highest standards in emergency general surgery. The program was launched during the 81st Annual Meeting of AAST & Clinical Congress of Acute Care Surgery.
“This new quality program, developed in collaboration with AAST, will help hospitals ensure that they are delivering optimal care for every patient requiring emergency general surgery,” said Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, ACS Executive Director & CEO. “We are confident that by introducing these standards and the new EGS-VP that we will see improved patient care and better outcomes.”
EGS-VP has been developed for the unique needs of emergency general surgery patients and providers. Participation in the program addresses resources, data, clinical care, and value-added care. The program’s standards manual, Optimal Resources for Emergency General Surgery, provides the resources, supports, pathways, and multidisciplinary involvement necessary for program participation.
A key aspect of EGS-VP is the role of data collection in improving care. Alongside the EGS Verification Program, the EGS Targeted Module of the ACS NSQIP registry has been developed to bring hospitals the data they need for advancing their quality processes. The first registry of its kind that will capture both operative and non-operative cases, the module offers participating hospitals access to targeted EGS variables and reports designed specifically that support outcomes measurement and improvement. Leveraging the features of the ACS NSQIP platform allows participants to capture clinically relevant, risk-adjusted data and benchmark their outcomes in a national registry.
“EGS-VP follows in the strong tradition of surgical quality improvement programs administered by the ACS. The program is built on the College’s quality principles to provide hospitals with a framework to create a culture of patient safety and develop highly reliable care delivery,” said Clifford Y. Ko, MD, MS, MSHS, FACS, FASCRS, Director of the ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care.
Enrollment is now open for hospitals interested in participating. Learn more and enroll today.
