Process-of-Care Clinical Trials in Surgery

• Fox Chase Cancer Center surgeon Robert Uzzo has a commentary in Renal & Urology News about "Clinical Trials in Surgery: A New Paradigm." Dr. Uzzo, the Chair of Surgical Oncology and G. Willing "Wing" Pepper Chair in Cancer Research, explains the efficacy of "processes-of-care-trials" or POCTS:

  Why are processes-of-care trials (POCTs) meaningful? First, they present an opportunity for physicians within a system to rally around a common problem with no obvious solution and try to study it systematically. For example, post-operative ileus is a very common cause of prolonged hospitalization. While it is simple to explain, it remains difficult to improve. Second, POCTs emphasize the use of level 1 evidence and move us away from practice by anecdote. Third, and most importantly, POCTs reshape the culture of acceptance of “meaningless” or “minor” post-operative complications such as catheter associated urinary tract infections, superficial skin infections, and post-op retention. These “initiating” complications often prolong hospitalization and permit “spiraling” complications to set in.

  The full piece is at renalandurologynews.com