Quality and Safety Improvement in Spine Surgery

Study Design: Review article.

Objectives: A narrative review of the literature on the current advances and limitations in quality and safety improvement initiatives in spine surgery.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed using Ovid MEDLINE focusing on 3 preidentified concepts: (1) quality and safety improvement, (2) reporting of outcomes and adverse events, and (3) prediction model and practice guidelines. The search was conducted under appropriate subject headings and using relevant text words. Articles were screened, and manuscripts relevant to this discussion were included in the narrative review.

Results: Quality and safety improvement remains a major research focus attracting investigators from the global spine community. Multiple databases and registries have been developed for the purpose of generating data and monitoring the progress of quality and safety improvement initiatives. The development of various prediction models and clinical practice guidelines has helped shape the care of spine patients in the modern era. With the reported success of exemplary programs initiated by the Northwestern and Seattle Spine Team, other quality and safety improvement initiatives are anticipated to follow. However, despite these advancements, the reporting metrics for outcomes and adverse events remain heterogeneous in the literature.

Conclusion: Constant surveillance and continuous improvement of the quality and safety of spine treatments is imperative in modern health care. Although great advancement has been made, issues with reporting outcomes and adverse events persist, and improvement in this regard is certainly needed.