Surgical Care Improvement Project

The Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) partnership is a multi-year national campaign to substantially reduce surgical mortality and morbidity through collaborative efforts between healthcare organizations. The campaign began in August 2005 with the original goal of reducing the national incidence of surgical complications by 25% by the year 2010.

A Partnership for Better Surgical Care

The SCIP is a national partnership of organizations committed to improving the safety of surgical care through the reduction of postoperative complications. These complications can take a toll on patients' health and safety and can extend postoperative hospital stays or care (such as therapy).

Initiated in 2003 by CMS and the CDC, the SCIP partnership is coordinated through a steering committee of 10 national organizations. More than 20 organizations provide expertise to the steering committee through a technical expert panel. The project's steering committee is composed of members from the following national organizations:

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• American College of Surgeons
• American Hospital Association
• American Society of Anesthesiologists
• Association of periOperative Registered Nurses
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Institute for Healthcare Improvement
• Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

See also

• Source of info on specifications of SCIP and other core measures
• Patient safety
• Perioperative mortality
• ASA physical status classification system or preoperative physical fittness