Building a Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Data Registry: Quality Improvement Through Measurement

Abstract

The notion of data analytics and its use in clinical care of patients continues to accelerate in healthcare whereby providers and facilities alike are migrating from a pay-for-procedure to a pay-for-performance framework. Measurement of data against peer groups is of utmost importance because quality improvement efforts are predicated on the notion that we cannot improve what we do not measure. Successful metabolic and bariatric surgery programs must be supported by a rich data registry as a basis for their local quality improvement efforts which seek to standardize care for the patients they serve. The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) collects prospective data and performs risk adjustment following a uniform set of definitional principles regarding patient demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative events. Due to the inherent rigor in this process, programs can feel confident that they are measured equitably among their peers. The use of standardized data collection promotes immeasurable value for patients, as the data used at both the local and national level supports principles which seek to improve efficiency, quality, and complication rates.