From Morbidity and Mortality to Quality Improvement

Objective Measure the effects of a structured morbidity and mortality conference format on the attitudes of resident and faculty participants. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Otorhinolaryngology–head and neck surgery residency training program. Subjects and Methods Two changes were implemented to the structure of our morbidity and mortality conference: (1) we adopted a recently described presentation framework called situation-background-assessment-recommendation and (2) appointed a faculty moderator to lead the conference. Surveys were distributed to residents and faculty before and after these modifications were implemented to measure changes in attitude of conference attendees. Results After implementing the above changes to the morbidity and mortality conference, participant engagement increased from “moderately engaged” to “extremely engaged” ( P < .01). Among both faculty and residents, the perceived educational value of conference also improved from “moderately educational” to “extremely educational” ( P < .01). Finally in the attending cohort, the impact on future patient care increased from “no change” to “greatly enhanced” ( P < .01). Conclusion By implementing the situation-background-assessment-recommendation framework and appointing a faculty moderator to morbidity and mortality conference, participants reported significantly enhanced engagement during the conference, increased educational value of the session, and a positive impact on future patient care.