Physician Investigator (Cl) Surgery, Mass General Research Institute

Associate Professor of Surgery Harvard Medical School

Visiting Surgeon General and GI Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital

MD University of Massachusetts Medical School 1996

clinical epidemiology; clinical quality improvement; outcomes research; surgical outcomes research

Dr. Ricciardi's research is focused on improving the quality of surgical care through measurement, outcomes reporting, surgical innovation, and process improvement. He has contributed several key works in the area of population based surgical care, audit and reporting, as well as surgical techniques improvement. Many of these publications aim to push the current standard of care towards new innovation and development of new treatment paradigms for colorectal surgical care. This theme of research in surgical quality harmonizes with his prior work with the National Quality Forum, the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons, the Massachusetts Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, and institutional quality improvement work. 

A second theme of studies includes investigations into elucidating a definitive understanding of the epidemiologic basis for gastrointestinal diseases such as diverticulitis and C. Difficile colitis. Dr. Ricciardi has investigated incidence, pathophysiology, and disease evolution of these conditions. His studies have identified several important findings of seasonal variation and crucial predisposing links to appendicitis for diverticular disease.  In addition, further work evaluating optimal surgical therapy for these conditions and methods to reduce postoperative complications is ongoing.