A Review of Quality Improvement Process Measures for Colorectal Surgery in the United States Using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database - Have We Made Progress?

Abstract

Numerous guidelines have been published regarding Enhanced Recovery Programs (ERP) following colorectal surgery over the past decade. Participation in these guidelines at a national level is unclear. We hypothesize that the adaptation of ERP for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery is limited but the use of quality improvement measures has increased and while outcomes have improved over the past several years. A total of 86 402 patients were evaluated undergoing elective colectomy between 2013-2018 using the ACS-NSQIP database. Over a 5-year period, there was a significant increase in the use of quality improvement process measures: mechanical and oral bowel preparation and minimally invasive approach. During this time, there was a significant decrease in overall perioperative morbidities (P <.001). These encouraging results from a large national database suggest that evidence-based, quality improvement guidelines are being embraced and that overall outcomes for patients undergoing elective colectomy are improving.

Keywords: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS); colorectal; minimally invasive surgery; surgical quality.