Sulgi Kim is a fourth-year medical student from Seoul, South Korea who is pursuing otolaryngology- head and neck surgery. Intrigued by her significant other solving quality improvement questions in the business sector using the five whys, she naturally became interested in bringing this concept to health care. She is working with Dr. Trevor Hackman providing patient educational materials to improve outcomes and satisfaction for patients undergoing head and neck surgery. Many of the patients are diagnosed with cancer and often experience life-altering changes, such as losing their voice box or being unable to eat by mouth. However, there is an educational barrier for patients, as their emotional reaction to cancer often overwhelms their visits with the doctor. Therefore, our goal is to provide easily understandable educational materials that patients and their family members can review at their own pace to gain knowledge about their surgery and post-surgical expectations. We hope that this approach will empower patients, minimize unexpected outcomes, and enable them to participate in their post-surgical care.
CLQS Project
Providing patient educational materials to improve outcomes and satisfaction for patients undergoing head and neck surgery
CLQS Mentor
Trevor Hackman MD, FACS, Nathaniel & Sheila Harris Distinguished Professor, Vice Chair Inpatient Operations and Quality, Division Chief of Head and Neck Oncology, Director of the Head & Neck Fellowship, Director Otolaryngology Transoral Surgery Program
