Fall 2025 Education Days Tour
The NSQIP team is currently hosting their Fall 2025 Education Days Tour at all 11 Nova Scotia Health sites. See the document below to learn more about when the tour is coming to your site.
Click here for more information on NSQIP Education Days
What is the ACS NSQIP?
The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) is a nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program that measures the quality of surgical care. The program was developed by surgeons and makes hospitals aware of issues patients may have had after surgery and helps ensure that patients have the best possible result from their surgery.
By identifying trends and complications, NSQIP enables targeted interventions that reduce adverse outcomes and enhance patient safety.
Why is Nova Scotia Health participating in NSQIP?
Provincial participation in NSQIP helps improve surgical outcomes, reduce complications, and enhance patient safety by using data-driven insights to guide quality improvement initiatives. To join the program, hospitals must do certain types and quantities of surgeries each year.
Which hospitals are involved in NSQIP?
Nova Scotia Health currently has 11 sites taking part in NSQIP across the province. Each zone is represented by a Surgeon Champion and Surgical Clinical Nurse Reviewer (SCRN). The following sites are participating in NSQIP:
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Aberdeen Hospital
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Cape Breton Regional Hospital
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Colchester East Hants Health Centre
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Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre
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Dartmouth General Hospital
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QEII Health Sciences Centre (Victora General and Halifax Infirmary sites)
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South Shore Regional Hospital
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St. Martha’s Regional Hospital
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Valley Regional Hospital
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Yarmouth Regional Hospital
What data is collected?
Data collected includes preoperative risk factors (e.g. diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.), intraoperative variables, and 30-day postoperative outcomes. This information is collected from medical records and patient interviews and is entered into the ACS NSQIP database. ACS NSQIP analyzes this information and compares it with the results from other hospitals. All data points (150+) are assigned by following specific definitions and criteria provided by the NSQIP program. ACS NSQIP provides results on 14 postoperative surgical outcomes:
- Cardiac
- Clostridioides Difficile (C. Diff)
- Morbidity
- Mortality
- Pneumonia
- Renal Failure
- Sepsis
- Surgical Site Infection (SSI)
- Unplanned Intubation
- Unplanned Readmission
- Unplanned Reoperation
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
- Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)
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Ventilator >48 hours
Can providers access NSQIP data?
Yes. Summary reports and dashboards are available to surgical teams and leadership to inform practice and drive improvements.
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Site and specialty level data are now available to all NSH staff via Tableau! For Tableau questions or access, please contact: HealthAnalytics@nshealth.ca
Additional detailed information can be requested through email: acs-nsqip@nshealth.ca
What’s new in NSQIP for 2025?
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Nova Scotia Health has expanded its use of real-time dashboards and predictive analytics to support proactive decision-making and continuous improvement.
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The NSQIP team is actively engaged in visiting NSQIP sites and providing biannual Education Days to raise awareness of the program and provide case-studies for site-level improvements.
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Visit the NSH Perioperative Quality Improvement Resources page on NSQIP to find resources on Care Directives and Guidelines, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), and more
How can I provide feedback or ask questions?
Please contact ACS-NSQIP@nshealth.ca for more information.
