Todd A Jaffe1, Steven J Hasday2, Meghan Knol2, Jason Pradarelli3, Sudha R Pavuluri Quamme4, Caprice C Greenberg4, Justin B Dimick5. 1. The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Electronic address: tjaffe@med.umich.edu. 2. The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 3. Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. 4. Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison. 5. The University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Center for Healthcare Outcomes and Policy, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There exists a tension between surgical innovation and safety. The learning curve associated with the introduction of new procedures/technologies has been associated with preventable patient harm. Surgeon's perceptions regarding the safety of methods for learning new procedures/technologies are largely uncharacterized. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was designed to evaluate surgeons' perceptions related to learning new procedures/technologies. This included clinical vignettes across two domains: (1) experience with an operation (e.g., colectomy) and (2) experience with a technology (e.g., laparoscopy). This study also focuses on a surgeon's perceptions of existing credentialing/privileging requirements. Participants were faculty surgeons (n = 150) at two large Midwestern academic health centers. RESULTS: Survey response rate was 77% (116/150). 69% of respondents believed the processes of credentialing/privileging is "far too relaxed" or "too relaxed" for ensuring patient safety. Surgeons most commonly indicated a mini-fellowship is required to learn a new laparoscopic procedure. However, that requirement differed based on a surgeon's prior experience with laparoscopy. For example, to learn laparoscopic colectomy, 35% of respondents felt a surgeon with limited laparoscopic experience should complete a mini-fellowship, whereas 3% felt this was necessary if the surgeon had extensive laparoscopic experience. In the latter scenario, most respondents felt a surgeon should scrub in cases performed by an expert (38%) or perform cases under a proctor's supervision (33%) when learning laparoscopic colectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Many surgeons believe existing hospital credentialing/privileging practices may be too relaxed. Moreover, surgeons believe the "one-size-fits-all" approach for training practicing surgeons may not protect patients from unsafe introduction of new procedures/technologies.
BACKGROUND: There exists a tension between surgical innovation and safety. The learning curve associated with the introduction of new procedures/technologies has been associated with preventable patient harm. Surgeon's perceptions regarding the safety of methods for learning new procedures/technologies are largely uncharacterized. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey was designed to evaluate surgeons' perceptions related to learning new procedures/technologies. This included clinical vignettes across two domains: (1) experience with an operation (e.g., colectomy) and (2) experience with a technology (e.g., laparoscopy). This study also focuses on a surgeon's perceptions of existing credentialing/privileging requirements. Participants were faculty surgeons (n = 150) at two large Midwestern academic health centers. RESULTS: Survey response rate was 77% (116/150). 69% of respondents believed the processes of credentialing/privileging is "far too relaxed" or "too relaxed" for ensuring patient safety. Surgeons most commonly indicated a mini-fellowship is required to learn a new laparoscopic procedure. However, that requirement differed based on a surgeon's prior experience with laparoscopy. For example, to learn laparoscopic colectomy, 35% of respondents felt a surgeon with limited laparoscopic experience should complete a mini-fellowship, whereas 3% felt this was necessary if the surgeon had extensive laparoscopic experience. In the latter scenario, most respondents felt a surgeon should scrub in cases performed by an expert (38%) or perform cases under a proctor's supervision (33%) when learning laparoscopic colectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Many surgeons believe existing hospital credentialing/privileging practices may be too relaxed. Moreover, surgeons believe the "one-size-fits-all" approach for training practicing surgeons may not protect patients from unsafe introduction of new procedures/technologies.