The British journal of surgery
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Multicenter Study
Mapping changes in surgical mortality over 9 years by peer review audit.
There is increasing public scrutiny of deaths among surgical patients. This analysis sought evidence of changes in practice over time in the management of patients who died under surgical care. ⋯ Through continuous peer review audit, the SASM has mapped and may have contributed to changes in surgical and anaesthetic practice over a 9-year period, indicating that the rate of adverse events can be decreased by changing clinician practice (DVT prophylaxis) and provision of facilities (HDU/ITU). Similar approaches should be considered by other medical specialties.