As the healthcare environment changes, the need for outcomes-based tre atment planning becomes even more critical. This book guides the reade r through current outcomes-based research as it pertains to surgery. F irst, it gives a complete overview of the practice of evidence-based s urgery (EBS), with topics such as treatment planning, policy issues, a nd ethical issues. Then it gives practical, step-by-step advice on the methodology of EBS, with chapters on study design, outcomes measures, adjustments for complications and comorbidities, cost, and data sourc es. Last, it publishes the results of numerous respected EBS studies.