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Surgical Care Improvement
Hospitals can improve surgical care and reduce the risk of wound infection after surgery by providing the right medicines at the right time on the day of surgery.

There are also steps that you, as a patient, can take to make sure the surgery is as safe as possible. For example, your doctor or nurse can tell you how to wash with an antibiotic soap the day before surgery. You can also give your doctor or nurse a list of all your medications, including vitamins, herbal medicines, and over-the-counter medications. You should also tell your doctor or nurse about any allergies and bad reactions to anesthesia.


Sometimes patients get an infection after surgery, even if the hospital took steps to prevent it. Some of the signs to watch for include a red, hot, and swollen surgical wound site, a fever of over 100 degrees, a smelly or yellow/green fluid coming from the wound or the pain is increasing even though the patient is taking pain medication.


Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.

 


Surgical Care Improvement - Coronary Artery Bypass

 

Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.


 

Surgical Care Improvement - Cardiac Surgery

 

Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.

 

Surgical Care Improvement - Vascular Surgery

 

Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.

 

Surgical Care Improvement - Colon/Large Intestine Surgery

 

Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.

 

Surgical Care Improvement - Hip/Arthroplasty Surgery

 

Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.

 

Surgical Care Improvement - Knee/Arthroplasty Surgery

 

Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.

 

Surgical Care Improvement - Hysterectomy

 

Patients having a surgery who received medicine to prevent infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. This measure reports how often patients having surgery received medicine that prevents infection (an antibiotic) within one hour before the skin was surgically cut. Infection is lowest when patients receive antibiotics to prevent infection within one hour before the skin is surgically cut. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate medicine (antibiotic) that prevents infection which is know to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful. Patients who had surgery and received appropriate medicine that prevents infection (antibiotic) and the antibiotic was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. This measure reports how often surgery patients whose medicine (an antibiotic) to prevent infection was stopped within 24 hours after the surgery ended. Giving medicine that prevents infection for more than 24 hours after the end of surgery is not helpful, unless there is a specific reason (for example, fever or other signs of infection). Note: Not every surgery requires antibiotics and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that antibiotics would be helpful.


Surgical Care Improvement - Venous Thromboembolism Prevention

 

SCIP (SurgicalCare Improvement Project) Venous Thromboembolism Prevention. Patients having surgery who had treatment prescribed for the prevention of blood clots. Note: Treatment may be medication, stockings, or mechanical devices for exercising the legs. This measure reports how often patients having surgery had treatment prescribed for the prevention of blood clots. The incidence of blood clots is lowest when patients are treated to prevent them. Note: Not every surgery requires treatment and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that treatment to prevent blood clots would be helpful. Patients having surgery who received the appropriate treatment to prevent blood clots which is shown to be effective for the type of surgery performed. Note: Treatment may be medication, stockings, or mechanical devices for exercising the legs. This measure reports how often patients who had surgery were given the appropriate treatment that prevents blood clots which is known to be effective for the type of surgery, based upon the recommendations of experts around the country. Note: Not every surgery requires treatment and this measure reports on those selected surgeries where evidence/experts have identified that treatment to prevent blood clots would be helpful.