Level III TQIP: An Overview

About Level III

Since 2009, the Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) has worked to improve patient care at Level III trauma centers by providing risk-adjusted benchmarking, sharing best practices, and offering on-going education to participants. In July 2016, the ACS launched Level III TQIP to extend the reach of the program to more levels of care. Level III centers have the ability to track outcomes and improve patient care through the utilization of risk-adjusted data, participation in educational opportunities, and collaboration with other TQIP centers.

Education

Education is a key component of the program and benefits new and existing TQIP centers. Educational opportunities available to Level III TQIP centers include:

TQIP Online Course, which covers updates to the NTDS Data Dictionary, understanding and using data quality information, and the roles of the TQIP team at your hospital
Regular TQIP quizzes for registry staff
Sessions for new centers at the TQIP Annual Conference
Participation in TQIP Google Group

Risk Adjusted Benchmark Report

TQIP leverages standardized data collection to create and distribute risk-adjusted reports that compare participating hospitals to other Level III trauma centers.
Hospitals will be eligible to receive two risk-adjusted benchmarking reports per year assuming the hospital meets the data quality and quantity criteria.

Turning Information into Action

Tools that help programs review data quality and completeness, and to understand the impact that data issues may have on their results
An online tool that allows hospitals to drill down into the data used for the risk-adjusted benchmark report
Identification and sharing of best practice
Participants benefit from ongoing performance and data quality monitoring

Use the Right Data

Training for registry staff to increase data quality and consistency, resulting in meaningful benchmark reports
An online course available at the user’s convenience, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Regular quizzes to educate registry staff on vital data elements

Learning from Other Trauma Centers

TQIP gives trauma centers the opportunity to learn from one another while developing best practices that help improve quality
Best Practice Guidelines presented at the TQIP Annual Meeting
Collaboration with other centers on a national, state, or regional basis

Make an Investment in the Future of Your Trauma Center

For more information about TQIP fees, please log in to QPort. We all have the same goal—to improve care of the injured patient. Joining TQIP is an investment, not just an expense.

Key Information

Statements

Guidelines for Collaboration of Industry and Surgical Organizations in Support of Continuing Education

These guidelines seek to provide a framework to permit corporate support of CME programs while maintaining the autonomy and impartiality.

Statements

Medical and Surgical Tourism

This statement presents our position on medical tourism, the practice of international travel for the express purpose of receiving medical care.

Downloadable

2020 Gregory J. Jurkovich Scudder Oration on Trauma

The speaker, reflecting on the historical and personal significance of the Scudder Oration, addresses the anxieties and discomforts faced by trauma surgeons amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting concerns about professionalism, autonomy, competence, and the shifting landscape of medical training and practice, exacerbated by the pandemic's impact and a broader societal and healthcare system transformation.

Downloadable

STB Outreach Workgroup LEAD

The ACS STB OutReach Workgroup, led by a member with instructorship experience, focuses on promoting the ACS Stop the Bleed program globally through developing training programs, fostering community outreach, advocating for bleeding control policies, supporting research, monitoring program compliance, and coordinating with leaders, all while dedicating approximately 10 hours per month to these efforts.

Downloadable

Prehospital Forum MEMBER

The Forum for the Prehospital (EMS) Program Area, requiring membership in the Committee on Trauma and approximately 1 hour per quarter engagement, aims to advance clinical care and outcomes through collaboration, research guidance, quality improvement, and stakeholder engagement in prehospital emergency services.

Downloadable

2026.02.18 TQIP Conference Abstract Reviewer Participation Board

The document outlines the role of a TQIP Conference Abstract Reviewer, including responsibilities such as reviewing and rating abstracts for the upcoming annual conferences, with an emphasis on performance improvement efforts, without specific financial disclosure requirements for participation in the review process itself, though disclosure is needed for educational credit.

Archives and History

Resources

If you're interested in the history of surgery, explore the ACS's recommendations for some outside sources of valuable research.

Downloadable

RMOCC Webinar 5 Discussion Summary 2025.08.27

The webinar discussion, featuring insights from the Washington Medical Coordination Center's experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasized the importance of coordinated regional responses, the initial success of minimal resources, the need for diverse funding, and the challenges of bed visibility, concluding with the next session focusing on Oregon's model and an invitation for stakeholders to assess transfer coordination needs.

Downloadable

RMOCC Webinar 3 Discussion Summary 2025.04.17

The webinar session provides an overview of the National Trauma and Emergency Preparedness System (NTEPS), emphasizing the development of RMOCC standards, their role in disaster response and national security, and the session's next steps including drafting standards and integrating RMOCCs into daily operations, with a focus on structured cooperation, inclusiveness, scalability, and evidence-based performance improvement.

Archives and History

History and Archives Committee

The History and Archives Committee brings surgical history to Clinical Congress with a poster competition, breakfast presentation, and panel session.