Improved Outcomes in Colon and Rectal Surgery part 29. Written by many of the worlds leading colorectal surgeons, this evidence-based text investigates the risks and benefits of colorectal surgeries. By using clinical pathways, algorithms, and case discussions, the authors identify the best practices for patient safety and positive outcomes to ensure that physicians correctly recognize potential problems and carefully manage complications | improved outcomes in colon and rectal surgery public and private initiative to develop standardized surveys of patients experiences with ambulatory and facility-level care. 86 CAHPS surveys provide information about patients care experiences rather than traditional clinical performance indicators such as cured of disease or morbidity and mortality. The surgeons ability to measure and understand quality-of-life and other patient centered outcome would be of great value to the colorectal cancer patient undergoing surgery. In practical terms patient expectations would be clearer. Few tested and useful patient centered metrics have been evaluated and even fewer are in use today. 87 Despite the lack of real progress in this area insurers patients and others are very interested in determining what patients think of the treatments we provide them. At this time surgeons need to work closely with others to facilitate more comprehensive and nontraditional outcomes following surgical care. CONCLUSION In summary this chapter on improving outcomes for abdominal surgery in colorectal cancer provides an overview of potential complications methods to reduce complications methods to improve outcomes surgical outcomes presently measured and the future of patient-centered outcomes in colorectal cancer surgery. We have particularly emphasized the impact of the quality movement and the role of outcomes on quality measurement and assurance. The information presented in this chapter is critical as quality metrics and measurement are likely to become more and more important to the individual practitioner. Given that surgery for colorectal cancer has become increasingly more technical due to the refinement of open as well as laparoscopic techniques outcomes measurement will become more and more important as we prove to our patients payers Congress and ourselves that our outcomes are optimal. Although payers and other government groups have become the drivers of quality improvement it is .
