Two‐year outcomes from the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Laparotomy Audit‐Quality Improvement pilot study

Background The aim of the Australian and New Zealand Emergency Laparotomy Audit‐Quality Improvement (ANZELA‐QI) pilot study was to determine (i) the outcomes of emergency laparotomy (EL) and (ii) the feasibility of a national, multi‐disciplinary quality improvement (QI) project based on a bundle of evidence‐based care standards. Methods An online database was created using the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) programme. National ethics approval with waiver of consent was obtained. Data were entered directly onto REDCap and extracted monthly for eight care standards (preoperative consultant radiologist reporting of computed tomography scans, preoperative mortality risk score, consultant presence in theatre, timely access to theatre and critical care commensurate with risk and involvement of aged care). Monthly QI run charts using ‘traffic’ light graphics (green ≥80%, amber ≥50% to