Toward Best Practices for Surgical Morbidity and Mortality Conferences: A Mixed Methods Study

Objective To assess formats for surgical morbidity and mortality conferences (MM 67% response) expecting MM mandatory faculty attendance (p = 0.004; p Conclusion Despite variation in M&M practice, the same (unmet) expectations existed at both hospitals, indicating that certain challenges may be more universal. M&M was reported to be well-focused on education, and certain aspects (e.g., active moderator and QI committee) seemed beneficial, but expectations were not met for the conference’s focus and function for QI. Greater exchange of “best practices” for M&M may enhance the conference’s value for improving surgical care.