WiSOR - Department of Surgery

The Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program (WiSOR) was formally established in 2011 to address the increasing priority of integrating health services research into the advancement of surgical care. With an emphasis on outcomes, quality, and cost, health services research is becoming essential to guiding patient care and redefining best practices in academic surgery.

Mission

The mission of WiSOR is to improve the quality, safety, effectiveness and efficiency of surgical care through research and innovation at the University of Wisconsin.

WiSOR encompasses numerous types of outcomes focused research including:
• Comparative effectiveness
• Qualitative, particularly related to patient-provider interactions
• Performance and safety in surgical care
• Patterns of Care
• Quality of Life
• Decision Analysis

WiSOR’s goal is to provide an intellectual home for surgical outcomes research while providing support and resources to facilitate and expedite research. WiSOR is also committed to career development and training for the next generation of researchers pursuing health services research in the field of surgery.

Latest news from WISOR

Improving the Quality of Hernia Operations through Surgical Coaching
Musicians, athletes, and even business executives use coaching to improve performance. Why not surgeons? While we may not associate coaching with surgery, Caprice Greenberg, MD, MPH, and her team in the Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research …
February 20, 2019
Dr. Elise Lawson awarded grant for rectal cancer research
Elise Lawson, MD, MSHS recently received an American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant for her project, “Addressing disparities in outcomes for patients with rectal cancer in Wisconsin by identifying multi-level facilitators and barriers to provision of …
January 17, 2019
Dr. Schwarze honored with Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Award
Gretchen Schwarze, MD, has been awarded a 2-year, $100,000, Vilas Faculty Mid-Career Investigator Award from the University of Wisconsin. This prestigious campus-level award is given to mid-career faculty in recognition of excellence in research and …
January 17, 2019
Dr. Kara Vande Walle chosen for Outstanding Resident Research Award
General surgery resident Kara Vande Walle, MD, has been chosen to receive the Association for Academic Surgery’s Outstanding Resident Research Award – Education for her work entitled, “What Makes a Good Surgical Coach?” Co-authors include …
December 13, 2018
Dr. Luke Funk receives two-year, $420,000 NIH R21 Award
Congratulations to Luke Funk, MD, MPH, who received a 2-year, $420,000 NIH R21 award for his project, “Addressing Disparities in Bariatric Surgery.” Dr. Funk’s study will investigate reasons for disparities in outcomes between bariatric surgery …
September 24, 2018