Note: All procedures were identified by ICD-9 and CPT codes. VA SLC HCS = Veterans Administration Salt Lake City Health Care System; VASQIP = Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program
Text Description
This figure graphically compares the percentage of cases reviewed by the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (vertical axis = y-axis) for hernia repair, total hip replacement, and total knee replacement surgery, respectively, conducted within the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System at two time points (horizontal axis = x-axis), 2008 and 2009. The y-axis values indicate percent of cases reviewed (range = 0-100 percent). Each type of surgery is indicated by a specific color for the time points and connecting lines.
Results: A decrease in the percentage of hernia repairs reviewed, from 92 percent (146 of 158) in 2008 to 79 percent (135 of 171) in 2009. The review percentages for the two orthopedic surgeries changed little between the two years-for hip replacement, from 36 percent (47 of 132) in 2008 to 35 percent (37 of 133) in 2009; for knee replacement, from 30 percent (79 of 262) in 2008 to 29 percent (94 of 324) in 2009.