Centers of Excellence: If We Build It, Will They Come?

Joseph Fusco; Regan Williams; Marcus Malek; Jeffery R Avansino; Shinjiro Hirose; Jonathan A Perkins; Diana Farmer; Kenneth W Gow

doi:10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.02.010

Centers of Excellence: If We Build It, Will They Come?

J Pediatr Surg. 2023 Jun;58(6):1048-1052. doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.02.010. Epub 2023 Feb 17.

Authors

Joseph Fusco¹, Regan Williams², Marcus Malek³, Jeffery R Avansino⁴, Shinjiro Hirose⁵, Jonathan A Perkins⁴, Diana Farmer⁵, Kenneth W Gow⁶

Affiliations

¹ Monroe Carrel Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
² Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
³ University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
⁴ Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
⁵ UC Davis, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
⁶ Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA. Electronic address: Kenneth.gow@seattlechildrens.org.

PMID: 36925401
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2023.02.010

Abstract

Pediatric surgeons have been pursuing high quality, affordable care or value-based care for over 50 years. One approach to streamlining the clinical care for a complex problem was the development of a center of excellence (COE). The concept of COE focuses on a shared vision of providing high quality care through a multidisciplinary approach. The goal is to improve diagnostic accuracy as well as therapeutic outcomes using focused expertise within a group. COEs are often resource intensive before becoming fiscally viable and therefore require initial support from hospital leadership. This review discusses the key steps to consider before building a COE, strategies to help build one, and how to keep one successful as defined by quality, accessibility, equity, training, and maintaining teams within the group.

Keywords: Center; Excellence; Pediatric; Quaternary; Surgery.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Child
Hospitals*
Humans
Quality of Health Care*