The Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) is a national quality partnership of organizations interested in improving surgical care by significantly reducing surgical complications. Partners in SCIP believe that a meaningful reduction in surgical complications depends on surgeons, anesthesiologists, perioperative nurses, pharmacists, infection control professionals, and hospital executives working together to intensify their commitment to making surgical care improvement priority. The following graph shows how MUSC performed on 5 key measures related to care for patients being treated for SCIP factors. Each measure represents what percentage of the time patients received the recommended care, so a higher score represents better performance. The numbers reported are from April 2010 - March 2011. 
Prophylactic Antibiotic Received Within 1 Hour Prior to Surgical Incision- Surgical patients who received prophylactic antibiotics within one hour prior to surgical incision. Patients who received vancomycin or a fluoroquinolone for prophylactic antibiotics should have the antibiotics administered within two hours prior to surgical incision. Due to the longer infusion time required for vancomycin or a fluoroquinolone, it is acceptable to start these antibiotics within two hours prior to incision time. * Prophylactic Antibiotic Selection for Surgical Patients- Surgical patients who received prophylactic antibiotics consistent with current guidelines (specific to each type of surgical procedure). * Prophylactic Antibiotics Discontinued Within 24 Hours After Surgery End Time-Surgical patients whose prophylactic antibiotics were discontinued within 24 hours after surgery end time. * Top of page
VTE Ordered Timely Surgery patients with recommended venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis ordered anytime from hospital arrival to 48 hours after Surgery End Time. There are over 30 million surgeries performed in the United States each year. Despite the evidence that VTE is one of the most common postoperative complications and prophylaxis is the most effective strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality, it is often underused. The frequency of venous thromboembolism (VTE), that includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is related to the type and duration of surgery, patient risk factors, duration and extent of postoperative immobilization, and use or nonuse of prophylaxis. * Surgery patients who received appropriate venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis within 24 hours prior to Surgical Incision Time to 24 hours after Surgery End Time. There are over 30 million surgeries performed in the United States each year. Despite the evidence that VTE is one of the most common postoperative complications and prophylaxis is the most effective strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality, it is often underused. The frequency of venous thromboembolism (VTE), that includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is related to the type and duration of surgery, patient risk factors, duration and extent of postoperative immobilization, and use or nonuse of prophylaxis. * *Source: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Joint Commission "Specifications Manual for National Hospital Quality Measures." Top of page | 
