[Quality indicators for advanced surgical training : An analysis of current concepts and implementation options from the Young Surgeons' Forum of the German Society of Surgery].

BACKGROUND

Advanced surgical training is essential for maintaining the quality of care; however, Germany still lacks validated quality indicators despite the legal requirements for quality-linked funding under §17b of the Hospital Funding Act.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this work is to develop practical and measurable quality indicators that enable an objective assessment of the structural, procedural and outcome quality of advanced surgical training.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

To develop these indicators, legal frameworks were analyzed, a systematic literature search on quality assessment surgical training was conducted and international training models were analyzed as a comparison. Key quality domains were then identified and consolidated into a structured indicator set through expert consensus.

RESULTS

A three-stage set of indicators is proposed: 1) Structural indicators cover aspects such as curriculum quality, supervisor-trainee ratio, network-based training and teaching qualifications. 2) Process indicators include structured training discussions, operational supervision including surgical and procedural keys (OPS) coding for training interventions and continuing education activities. 3) Outcome indicators relating to the duration of training, the success rate of the specialist medical examination and standardized satisfaction. Digital tools, such as e‑logbooks and training registers enable valid and comparable data to be collated for the first time.

CONCLUSION

Standardized quality indicators achieve transparency, enable benchmarking and foster a learning data-driven advanced training culture. Annual digital reporting and centralized anonymized assessments are essential for quality assurance and to support future quality-linked funding models.