Journal of surgical education
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Comparative Study
Assessing the status of thoracic surgical research and quality improvement programs: a survey of the members of the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons.
Assessing the degree of involvement and participation in thoracic surgical research as well as surgical quality improvement conducted across Canadian institutions is difficult as no common data collection system and no prior studies exist. As a pilot investigation, we designed and conducted a membership survey of the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons (CATS) to evaluate the extent of participation in research and quality improvement processes among thoracic surgeons. ⋯ A high level of interest and participation exists in thoracic surgery research. However, more robust quality improvement processes are needed for thoracic surgical oncology services. A national thoracic surgery quality improvement database offers a potential means to improve practice effectiveness, standardize surgical outcomes, and promote thoracic research across Canada.