Cooperation with Surgical Process Institute
AO and SPI join forces to transform the surgical experience
Claas Albers, AO Technical Commission Director; Felix Wandel, Business Unit Lead SPI (Surgical Process Institute - Digital Surgery); Florian Gebhard, AO Foundation President-Elect; and Urs Rüetschi, AO Education Institute Director
The AO has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Surgical Process Institute (SPI). Based in Leipzig, Germany, SPI's goal is to improve treatment quality and patient safety by reducing variation in surgical standards and approaches, meaning that wherever patients are treated they will be able to expect the same high level of quality. This is in line with the AO's mission of promoting excellence in patient care and outcomes in trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.
Together, the AO and SPI will work to transform the surgical experience by bringing together AO surgical content and principles and SPI technology. This starts with an initial assessment of the scope of work involved in digitizing AO standards and aligning workflows with SPI.
The real-world goal of this will be to digitize AO standardized procedures using SPI technology so that they are available to surgeons in the operating theater when they are most needed. As part of this work, the AO will also explore surgical performance comparability, and will develop metrics to measure performance and to detect difficult steps.
The AO has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Surgical Process Institute (SPI). Based in Leipzig, Germany, SPI's goal is to improve treatment quality and patient safety by reducing variation in surgical standards and approaches, meaning that wherever patients are treated they will be able to expect the same high level of quality. This is in line with the AO's mission of promoting excellence in patient care and outcomes in trauma and musculoskeletal disorders.
Together, the AO and SPI will work to transform the surgical experience by bringing together AO surgical content and principles and SPI technology. This starts with an initial assessment of the scope of work involved in digitizing AO standards and aligning workflows with SPI.
The real-world goal of this will be to digitize AO standardized procedures using SPI technology so that they are available to surgeons in the operating theater when they are most needed. As part of this work, the AO will also explore surgical performance comparability, and will develop metrics to measure performance and to detect difficult steps.
To begin with, the AO will select procedures for inclusion in a pilot project. Upon the successful completion of this phase will the project expand to include additional content and geographies.
Speaking after the signing of the cooperation agreement, AO Technical Commission Director Claas Albers said "In this partnership, we have an opportunity to bring AO approaches and dedication to the highest standards to an ever-broader audience of surgeons and patients."
AO Foundation President-Elect Florian Gebhard said "this is an excellent opportunity for the AO to draw on the spirit of innovation and standardization that motivated its founders sixty years ago to establish the AO. Our primary goal remains improving patient outcomes, that is what all of us at the AO are working towards."