Why was the CCCES Established?

The practice of surgery is in the middle of a profound transition, one that must be lead by a long–term commitment to new learning and new philosophy. Driven by skyrocketing health care costs, public ranking of the “best” hospitals and surgeons, and widespread reporting of medical errors— patients, payers, and providers are demanding clear evidence of the clinical and economic results, or outcomes, of surgical care.

The CCCES was established to provide surgeons with the information they need, institutionalize the skills to use that information, and develop appropriate research, which will support decisions about the practice of surgery and the outcomes of surgery. The CCCES is designed to act as a catalyst to decrease the activation energy needed for surgeons to get outcome studies completed.

Working in collaboration with physicians, epidemiologists, psychologists, sociologists, economists, statisticians, and others, the CCCES identifies, supports, and helps to manage projects that endeavor to answer the following fundamental questions:

• How well do surgical procedures actually work?
• How are surgical and supporting medical resources distributed and used?
• How do patients value surgical interventions and their consequences?
• How do we continuously improve the quality of surgical care?
• How do we best inculcate these principles into surgical training?