The Children’s Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program, a quality program of the American College of Surgeons, has released its latest standards document, Optimal Resources for Children’s Surgical Care. The standards set forth in this document are the nation’s first multispecialty standards for children’s surgical care.
“This is the first time ever that there has been a formal delineation of resource standards that relate specifically to children’s surgical care across all relevant disciplines,” said Keith T. Oldham, MD, FACS, chair of the Children’s Surgery Verification Program and the surgeon in chief at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “The vision is to see that every child receiving surgical care receives quality care in an environment with resources matched to his or her individual needs.”
The standards were developed by the American College of Surgeons with the Task Force for Children’s Surgical Care. They seek to improve surgical care for pediatric surgical patients.
The new document includes revisions to the 2014 standards document and updates from lessons learned during the pilot phase of the program, such as the need for alternative training pathways for anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and radiology. The new standards also clearly state the safety data elements required for all level designations.
In what Oldham describes as a “major, long-term, ongoing commitment” by healthcare facilities, the process starts with an application to the American College of Surgeons. The online application is expected to launch later this year. Next, the facility submits a prereview questionnaire, which Oldham describes as a “fairly complicated data collection form” with information regarding the character of the institution, the background and training of the providers who care for children, and the quality programs in place.
“The standards presented in this document are the basis for the Children’s Surgery Verification Program, for which the American College of Surgeons will visit centers periodically and verify that relevant standards are met and related quality improvement mechanisms are in place,” said Oldham. The site visit will result in a report that is reviewed by a committee. The process is rigorous and is, in many ways, more quantitative than what The Joint Commission requires, Oldham says.
To access these standards, visit bit.ly/1K9gPCE. If your organization is interested in becoming verified or has questions, email [email protected].
