EFN

A study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that when surgeons look over a comprehensive checklist before beginning a surgery, patient complications and death are greatly reduced. Eight hospitals in several countries have participated in this study. Hospitals in the study were located in places like Manila, Amman, Seattle, Toronto, London, Auckland and Ifakara in Tanzania. Complications were reduced by more than thirty percent, while patient death was reduced by more than forty percent. These checklists are similar to the ones used by airline pilots before taking off.

Although many of the items on the list are common sense, doctors say that the results are undeniable. Some of the items listed include: the surgery site, whether the patients received antibiotics, patient identity, and allergies. There are a total of nineteen items listed and the time estimated to complete the checklist is around two minutes.
Since over 234 million major operations are done worldwide every year, such a major reduction in complications equals millions of lives saved. “That translates to something like 60,000 people who have operations and would be spared complications,” said Dr. Bryce Taylor, chief surgeon at Toronto’s University Health Network. “That’s a pretty impressive number for something that doesn’t cost you anything to do.”

The checklist breaks the surgery into three phases: (sign in) before the patient receives anesthesia, (time out) before any incisions are made, and (sign out) before the patient leaves the room. Depending on which phase the surgery is in, the surgeons will check for different items.

Although the checklist may seem simplistic, doctors think that using the checklist is a great idea. Cardiac surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan, chairman, Global Health Private Ltd, said: “Standardizing protocols are beneficial to any procedure. There is no such thing as a simple surgery, there are only simple-minded surgeons. It is only when you stop paying attention — thinking, ‘Oh, I do this every day’ — that you make mistakes. Checklists like this one help dictate best practices and ensure patient safety.”

While the checklist will not eliminate all surgical complications or even deaths, surgery could be a lot safer for millions people. By making sure that surgeons are doing the right thing to the right patient, hospitals are saving themselves from lawsuits and possible patient injury. By ensuring that surgical teams are prepared for high risk situations that occur during surgery, lives will be both saved and improved.