Transparency, public reporting, and a culture of change to quality and safety in cardiac surgery.
Ibrahim M, Szeto WY, Gutsche J, et al. Transparency, public reporting, and a culture of change to quality and safety in cardiac surgery. Ann Thorac Surg. 2022;114(3):626-635. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.08.085.
Reports of poor care in the media or public reporting systems can serve as an impetus to overhauling hospitals or hospital units. After several unexpected deaths and a drop in several rating systems, this cardiac surgery department launched a comprehensive quality improvement review. This paper describes the major changes made in the department, including role clarity and minimizing variation in 24/7 staffing.