The past, present, and future of urological quality improvement collaboratives

Abstract

Surgical quality improvement collaboratives (QIC) have been established across the nation in numerous specialties. These QICs have shown efficacy in improving the quality, safety and value of care delivered to patients with a wide range of medical conditions. In recent years, urological QICs have emerged, including regional collaboratives such as the Michigan Urological Surgical Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) and Pennsylvania Urologic Regional Collaborative (PURC), as well as the national American Urological Association Quality Registry Program (AQUA). These urological collaboratives, developed with an initial focus on prostate cancer, have demonstrated an ability to accurately measure prostate cancer outcomes, compare these outcomes among providers and institutions, and enact change among both patients and providers to optimize outcomes for men with prostate cancer. Physician-led regional collaboratives may be uniquely positioned to respond quickly to the rapidly-evolving healthcare landscape and enact practice and provider-level changes when appropriate. This review describes the historical background, current structure and function, and potential future directions of these urologic QICs.

Improving Prostate Cancer Care through Quality Assurance Programs

“…Healthcare QAPs originated in general surgery, but over the past decade they have also been initiated in the urological practice with a particular focus on the diagnosis and surgical treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) (5). The formation and structure of these QAPs have previously been described, but little is known about the effects of these QAPs on the outcomes of PCa care (6). Therefore, this chapter reviews the available literature on QAPs in PCa care, answering the following questions: (ii) what is the theory behind QAPs; (ii) which organizational requirements are necessary; and (iii) what is the available evidence on the effect of QAPs on PCa care?…”