Redefining morbidity and mortality meetings in ophthalmology: a wider remit for improved learning (23 March 2026)

Summary

Morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences are regular meetings where healthcare teams review adverse outcomes and complications to learn from errors and improve future practice. In surgical specialties, M&M meetings are long-established and considered integral to patient safety, quality improvement, and medical education. Surgical governing bodies, including the Royal College of Surgeons, strongly recommend participation, reflecting the value placed on these conferences in identifying system issues and preventing recurrence of harm. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh further developed this approach through team-based quality reviews (TBQR), a structured and evidence-based framework for team learning in clinical practice.

Historically, however, ophthalmology has lagged other specialties in adopting M&M meetings. There are no Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) guidelines on M&M meetings and limited research exploring their benefits in ophthalmic practice. This commentary discusses redefining M&M meetings in ophthalmology.