Quality metrics in pancreatic surgery

Abstract

As the practice of pancreatic surgery evolves to encompass a wider array of clinical indications, incorporate increasingly complex technologies, and provide care to an aging population with many comorbid conditions, systematic assessment of quality and outcomes in an effort to improve the quality of care is imperative. This article discusses the volume-outcomes relationship that exists in pancreatic surgery, trends in centralization of practice within the field, common outcomes measures, and the complexity of assessing quality metrics. It also highlights surgical outcomes from several high-volume institutions and recent developments in quality metrics within pancreatic surgery.