Implementation of the surgical safety checklist in South Carolina Hospitals is associated with improvement in perceived perioperative safety (1 May 2016)

Summary

Previous research suggests that surgical safety checklists (SSCs) are associated with reductions in postoperative morbidity and mortality as well as improvement in teamwork and communication. These findings stem from evaluations of individual or small groups of hospitals. Studies with more hospitals have assessed the relationship of checklists with teamwork at a single point in time.

The objective of this study from Molina et al. was to evaluate the impact of a large-scale implementation of SSCs on staff perceptions of perioperative safety in the operating room.

They concluded that a large-scale initiative to implement SSCs is associated with improved staff perceptions of mutual respect, clinical leadership, assertiveness on behalf of safety, team coordination and communication, safe practice, and perceived checklist outcomes.