SAFETY CULTURE
Impact of team performance on the surgical safety checklist on patient outcomes
Published on
August 5, 2024
Surgical Endoscopy
Overview
This study evaluated the association between surgical safety checklist compliance and patient outcomes using the OR Black Box®. The retrospective analysis included 4,581 patients who underwent surgery in OR Black Box-equipped operating rooms at a quaternary referral center from August 2020 to September 2022. The results showed that higher overall checklist compliance was associated with lower mortality rates, shorter hospital stays, and reduced ICU admissions. Specifically, better performance during "timeouts" and "debriefings" was linked to improved patient outcomes.
The researchers concluded that surgical teams with higher adherence to safety checklists tended to have better patient outcomes. They suggest that this AI-based monitoring technology could significantly improve our ability to understand and address patient safety issues in real-time during surgical procedures. This study highlights the potential of innovative technologies to enhance surgical safety practices and patient care.
Results
Performance on the checklist was associated with lower mortality and decreased length of stay. Performance during “timeouts” was associated with mortality. “Debriefings” were independently associated with mortality, length of stay, and ICU admission.
