Improving Quality and Value in Head and Neck Reconstruction

Despite rapid advances in surgical techniques and technology, significant opportu-nities for improving quality and value in head and neck reconstruction remain. These efforts should start with building consensus and standardization around the develop-ment and collection of outcomes data. Standardized outcomes data would allow for fair comparisons between surgeons, hospitals, and health systems; reliable compar-ative data could in turn drive quality improvement projects. Many head and neck reconstruction centers of excellence have begun this process, using measures such as those outlined in Table 1, but efforts remain largely siloed. The ongoing shift in health care financing away from fee-for-service toward value-based purchasing will provide resources and motivation for coordination of these efforts. The domains described above offer a useful framework for quality improvement in head and neck reconstruction.