Quality and Outcomes Reports - Urology
Laparoscopic Procedure Volume
Why we measure it
- It is important to our patients and families that we perform procedures in the safest and most effective way possible. Our urologic surgeons are able to offer a minimally invasive approach when performing many types of elective or emergent procedures. The choice of approach is decided based on the individual needs of the child. Often, these surgeries are complex and "cutting edge," requiring greater surgical expertise. Research shows that surgeons and hospitals that treat a large number of patients tend to provide better care and have improved outcomes for treatments and procedures.
What this means - We can perform surgery in multiple ways to best suit the child's needs. As this graph shows, an increasing number of procedures performed at Children's Hospital are using minimally invasive techniques.
About the data - This graph reflects all of the laparoscopic procedures performed by our pediatric urologists during the calendar years 2007 to 2010.
Related dimensions of care:
What we're doing to provide the best care:
- All urologists and anesthesiologists at Children's Hospital are board eligible or qualified in pediatric urology and pediatric anesthesiology, respectively, demonstrating their knowledge and expertise in caring for newborns.
- We offer minimally invasive procedures for certain conditions, which heal faster and cause less pain and scarring for the patient.
- We have recently added another urologist to our staff who has a focus on minimally invasive procedures.
- Pediatric laparoscopic instrumentation provides the surgeon with the appropriate tools to operate safely on a wide age range of children.
- Our increasing volume and increasing complexity of the cases performed is a result of the increasing skills and experience of our surgeons.
- We perform procedures at Children's Hospital or Surgicenter of Greater Milwaukee. The location depends on the patient's health status and the parents' preference. In either facility, patients are cared for by the same pediatric surgeon and board-certified pediatric anesthesiologist.
- We added inpatient beds with the hospital expansion and increased our recovery, consultation and waiting rooms at our Surgicenter location. Both expansions were completed in the spring of 2009.
Patients and families:
- Take a preoperative tour, which will help prepare patients and families for the procedure and hospital stay.
- Follow all eating and drinking restrictions before surgery.
Referring physicians:
- Referring physicians can access our specialists for consultation or transport 24 hours a day. Call our physician referral line at (800) 266-0366.
- Health care providers from outside of our southeastern Wisconsin service area are encouraged to use our web-based
e-Consult service. This service is available for non-urgent patient cases only and gives providers access to our specialists to review patient cases, obtain medical advice or second opinions, and receive care recommendations for rare symptoms and illnesses.
e-Consult is not to be used by the general public, parents/guardians or families. - Care guidelines for medical professionals
- Educational materials
- Pocket Directory
If you have questions about this information, email us or call (414) 266-6556.