Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37931232›Full record

SynthesisBJS open2023

Composite quality measures of abdominal surgery at a population level: systematic review.

Joel Rajesh, Jan Sorensen, Deborah A McNamara

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BJS open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Joel RajeshHealthcare Outcomes Research Centre (HORC), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0001-6854-642X
Jan SorensenHealthcare Outcomes Research Centre (HORC), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0003-0857-9267
Deborah A McNamaraNational Clinical Programme in Surgery (NCPS), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0003-3975-0485

Funding

Health Research Board Summer Student Scholarship SS-2022-015
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMeasurement of surgical quality at a population level is challenging. Composite quality measures derived from administrative and clinical information systems could support system-wide surgical quality improvement by providing a simple metric that can be evaluated over time. The aim of this systematic review was to identify published studies of composite measures used to assess the overall quality of abdominal surgical services at a hospital or population level.

methodsA search was conducted in PubMed and MEDLINE for references describing measurement instruments evaluating the overall quality of abdominal surgery. Instruments combining multiple process and quality indicators into a single composite quality score were included. The identified instruments were described in terms of transparency, justification, handling of missing data, case-mix adjustment, scale branding and choice of weight and uncertainty to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses (PROSPERO registration: CRD42022345074).

resultsOf 5234 manuscripts screened, 13 were included. Ten unique composite quality measures were identified, mostly developed within the past decade. Outcome measures such as mortality rate (40 per cent), length of stay (40 per cent), complication rate (60 per cent) and morbidity rate (70 per cent) were consistently included. A major challenge for all instruments is the reliance of valid administrative data and the challenges of assigning appropriate weights to the underlying instrument components. A conceptual framework for composite measures of surgical quality was developed.

conclusionNone of the composite quality measures identified demonstrated marked superiority over others. The degree to which administrative and clinical data influences each composite measure differs in important ways. There is a need for further testing and development of these measures.

Indexed as

HospitalsQuality Indicators, Health CareHumansOutcome Assessment, Health CareRisk Adjustment

Identifiers

PMID37931232
PMCPMC10627522

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.