Surgical program received top honours in all risk and high-risk categories for patient outcomes.
Photo of American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program award recipients. From left to right: Laurie Leith, VP of Operations; Dr. Francis Zih, Department Head for Surgery; Dr. Chuck Wen, Thoracic Surgeon; Dr. Dave Williams, Quality Physician Lead; Sheila Lintan, RN, Surgery; and Dr. Maha Iyer, Anesthesia.
Surrey Memorial Hospital (SMH) is among 77 hospitals out of 609 to be recognized internationally for its efforts to improve surgical outcomes for adult patients. The award is has been given as a part of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) for the purpose of reducing surgical complications and improving patient outcomes through a data-driven, evidence-based approach.
Based on its 2023 data, Surrey Memorial Hospital received top honours in all risk and high-risk categories for outcomes in the following eight areas: mortality, cardiac, pneumonia, unplanned intubation, ventilator for more than 48 hours, renal failure, surgical site infection and urinary tract infection.
“Being part of the surgical team, whose work has gotten our site recognized as a ‘meritorious’ hospital, is an unexplainable feeling and reminder that every piece of data we collect represents a life we’ve touched,” says Dr. Chuck Wen, a thoracic surgeon at SMH and the NSQIP Surgeon Champion for Surrey Memorial Hospital. “By our collective commitment to quality and patient safety, we’re not just improving numbers but honouring our patients’ trust.”
“The NSQIP award is a true honour and a testament to the dedication of Surrey Memorial Hospital’s surgical teams,” says Martha Cloutier, Executive Director, Surrey Memorial Hospital. “This recognition reflects their commitment to patient care, use of best practices and continuous efforts to enhance the patient experience, safety and quality of care.”
All participating hospitals must track inpatient and outpatient procedures and collect data to assess patient safety. The American College of Surgeons then analyzes this data and shares the findings with the hospitals to help them identify areas for improvement and compare their performance with national standards to drive better quality of surgical care and enhance patient safety.
“Their relentless focus on patient safety and excellence truly makes them the cornerstone of this achievement, and we are ecstatic of their role in earning this recognition,” says Angela Tecson, Director, Surgical Safety and Physician Partnerships.
“The NSQIP Meritorious Award is a testament to the outstanding teamwork at Surrey Memorial Hospital, where surgeons, nurses, allied health professionals, and support staff collaborate to drive continuous improvement in surgical care,” says Lesli Matheson Jennings, Executive Director, Clinical Quality and Strategic Priorities. “We are incredibly proud of our teams advancing surgical care at Surrey Memorial Hospital, which is dedicated to improving patient outcomes and enriching the patient experience.”
