Patient Care

The department’s goals across patient care and clinical operations over the past year have evolved from ever-changing needs and demands presented by the global pandemic to more focused initiatives in continuing to ensure high-quality, safe, and timely access to surgical care. Through the establishment of new divisions, continued involvement in clinical quality data analysis programs, and a drive to take calculated leaps forward backed by groundbreaking research, the department has continued to live its mission of being, “United, for all patients.”
Patient Care section graphic

In Duke Surgery, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a technique that overlaps many specialties, but with the establishment of a new division, the department is able to efficiently utilize resources while expanding its reach for more accessible surgical care.

Hear from the new chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery Dr. Jacob Greenberg and MIS faculty about the division’s development, mission, and goals.

Clinical Case Volume 

The Department of Surgery performed over 28,000 cases in FY ’22, up from FY ’21 and contributing to 35.6% of the total clinical case volume across the entire Duke University Health System (DUHS).

Duke Surgery is now seeing case volumes that surpass pre-COVID-19 volumes (pre-2020). 

Surgical Case Volume Across Locations

Of the 28,000+ cases performed by Duke Surgery in FY ’22, 64.9% were performed at Duke University Hospital (DUH) in Durham. 

The 446 cases performed at the Duke Health Center Arringdon in Morrisville, NC, which began taking on surgical cases in FY ’21, showcase the department’s continued dedication to expanding access to quality surgical care across the Triangle and throughout North Carolina.

In June 2022, the Duke Transplant Center completed its 10,000th solid organ transplant, a feat that fewer than 20 transplant centers in the United States have reached, according to data from the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS). Duke leads all Carolina hospitals in transplant volume and ranks among the leaders in the Southeastern U.S.

According to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), the lung transplant and heart transplant programs are currently ranked first and sixth, respectively, in total transplant volume.

Solid Organ Transplants
5000 +

Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI)

Alongside 961 other participating centers, Duke partners with the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) as part of its quality improvement initiatives in vascular care. VQI is an AHRQ-approved Safety Organization that has captured over one million procedures to date across 14 distinct registries, of which Duke participates in eight.  

Duke has national and regional leadership in VQI, and ranks higher than the national average for both of VQI’s initiatives in which all participating centers take part.  

VQI recently launched a Quality Fellowship in Training (FIT) program, and a Duke trainee was selected to participate. 

Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Risk Adjusted Harvest 3 Report

The newest STS Risk Adjusted Harvest 3 Report includes analyzed results for data between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2021.

Duke Heart achieved a 3-star rating (top ranking) in all of the possible categories in 2022.

This achievement reflects the commitment to providing the highest level of quality care possible for all Duke Heart patients.

graphic displaying 3-star ratings in CABG, AVR, AVR+CABG, and MVRr

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