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Surgical Care Improvement Core Measures
The following results were reported for patient discharges from April 2011 through March 2012, unless otherwise noted:
1. Percent of surgery patients who were taking heart drugs called beta blockers before coming to the hospital and who were kept on the beta blockers during the period just before and after their surgery.
YRMC Arizona Hospitals National Average
94% 96% 96%
Why this is important
It is often standard procedure to stop patients' usual medications for awhile before and after surgery. But if patients who have been taking beta blockers suddenly stop taking them, they can have heart problems such as a fast heart beat. For these patients, staying on beta blockers before and after surgery makes it less likely that they will have heart problems.
2. Percent of surgery patients who were given an antibiotic at the right time (within one hour before surgery) to help prevent infection.
YRMC Arizona Hospitals National Average
98% 98% 98%
Why this is important
Surgical wound infections can be prevented. Medical research shows that surgery patients who get antibiotics within the hour before their surgery are less likely to get wound infections. Getting an antibiotic earlier, or after surgery begins, is not as effective. Hospital staff should make sure surgery patients get antibiotics at the right time.
3. Percent of surgery patients whose preventive antibiotics were stopped at the right time (within 24 hours after surgery).
YRMC Arizona Hospitals National Average
96% 97% 97%
Why this is important
Antibiotics are often given to patients before surgery to prevent infection. Taking these antibiotics for more than 24 hours after routine surgery is usually not necessary. Continuing the medication longer than necessary can increase the risk of side effects such as stomachaches and a serious type of diarrhea. Also, when antibiotics are used for too long, patients can develop resistance to them and the antibiotics won't work as well in the future.
4. Percent of all heart surgery patients whose blood sugar (blood glucose) is kept under good control in the days right after surgery.
YRMC Arizona Hospitals National Average
97%* 95% 96%
*YRMC ranked in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide.
Why this is important
Even if heart surgery patients do not have diabetes, keeping their blood sugar under good control after surgery lowers the risk of infection and other problems. "Under good control" means their blood sugar should be 200 mg/dL or less when checked first thing in the morning.
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