Lost in translation: does measuring 'adherence to the Surgical Safety Checklist indicate true implementation fidelity?

The use of checklists in surgery is a best practice.1 There is a plethora of evidence that suggests using the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) reduces complications such as pneumonia,2 intraoperative blood loss,2 3 sepsis,2 unplanned intubation,2 urinary tract infections,2 wound infections,2–4 30-day readmissions and 30-day mortality.2–4 The SSC has three components, which need to be carried out for each phase of a surgical procedure, including sign-in, timeout and sign-out.5 The SSC serves as an aide memoir that includes vital information to prompt team discussions and actions that may otherwise be overlooked or forgotten, thereby promoting clear, consistent and timely communications among team members that prevents errors and enhances patient safety.6 Importantly, the SSC is more than merely a...
Source: Quality and Safety in Health Care - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Editorials Source Type: research