Four years ago an interdisciplinary team from HUP, in collaboration with the Health System, set a goal to reduce the mortality rate for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Their combined efforts have led to the lowest mortality rate in five years and the achievement of a 3-Star rating for CABG surgery at HUP for 2019 from the Society of Thoracic Surgery, the society’s highest category of quality.
The team included members of cardiovascular surgery, anesthesia critical care, advanced practice providers, nursing, pharmacy, case management, social work, and physical therapy. Their approach included developing a post-surgical pathway and 25 protocols, establishing a committee to review and discuss patients at high-risk for surgery, and implementing advanced operating room technology. More broadly it also involved a cultural shift in communication and teamwork strategies. Many of these methods have now been applied across the Health System.
“We are excited to see the impact of the changes on patient care and outcomes,” said Michael Acker, MD, chief of Cardiovascular Surgery. “We are confident that we will be able to sustain these gains and continue to deliver the highest quality of care for our patients.”