Postoperative Adverse Events Inconsistently Improved by the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist: A Systematic Literature Review of 25 Studies

Codesigning an E-Health Intervention for Surgery Preparation and Recovery

Surgery is a significant part of healthcare, but its demand is increasing, leading to challenges in managing patient care. Inefficient perioperative practices and traditional linear models contribute to adverse outcomes and patient anxiety. E-health interventions show promise in improving surgical care, but more research is needed. The purpose of this study was to involve patients and healthcare workers during the design phase of an e-health intervention that aims to support the perioperative care of elective surgery preparation and recovery. This study used an Information Systems Research Framework to guide collaborative codesign through semistructured interviews and cocreation workshops. Semistructured interviews collected insights on the perioperative journey and e-health needs from healthcare workers and consumers, resulting in the creation of a patient surgery journey map, experience map, and a stakeholder needs table. Collaborative work between consumers and healthcare workers in the cocreation workshops identified priority perioperative journey issues and proposed solutions, as well as prioritizing application software needs, guiding the development of the wireframe. The development of an e-health application aimed at supporting surgery preparation and recovery is a significant step toward improving patient engagement, satisfaction, and postsurgical health outcomes.

Impact of penicillin allergy labels on surgical site infections in a large UK cohort of gastrointestinal surgery patients

Objectives

Studies in the USA, Canada and France have reported higher surgical site infection (SSI) risk in patients with a penicillin allergy label (PAL). Here, we investigate the association between PALs and SSI in the UK, a country with distinct epidemiology of infecting pathogens and range of antimicrobial regimens in routine use.

Methods

Electronic health records and national SSI surveillance data were collated for a retrospective cohort of gastrointestinal surgery patients at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2021. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine the effects of PALs and the use of non-β-lactam-based prophylaxis on likelihood of SSI, 30 day post-operative mortality, 7 day post-operative acute kidney injury and 60 day post-operative infection/colonization with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria or Clostridioides difficile.

Results

Our data comprised 3644 patients and 4085 operations; 461 were undertaken in the presence of PALs (11.3%). SSI was detected after 435/4085 (10.7%) operations. Neither the presence of PALs, nor the use of non-β-lactam-based prophylaxis were found to be associated with SSI: adjusted OR (aOR) 0.90 (95% CI 0.65-1.25) and 1.20 (0.88-1.62), respectively. PALs were independently associated with increased odds of newly identified MRSA infection/colonization in the 60 days after surgery: aOR 2.71 (95% CI 1.13-6.49). Negative association was observed for newly identified infection/colonization with third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Gram-negative bacteria: aOR 0.38 (95% CI 0.16-0.89).

Conclusions

No evidence was found for an association between PALs and the likelihood of SSI in this large UK cohort, suggesting significant international variation in the impact of PALs on surgical patients.

A Practical Approach to Predicting Surgical Site Infection Risk Among Patients Before Leaving the Operating Room

A surgical site infection (SSI) prediction model that identifies at-risk patients before leaving the operating room can support efforts to improve patient safety. In this study, eight pre-operative and five perioperative patient- and procedure-specific characteristics were tested with two scoring algorithms: 1) count of positive factors (manual), and 2) logistic regression model (automated). Models were developed and validated using data from 3,440 general and oncologic surgical patients. In the automated algorithm, two pre-operative (procedure urgency, odds ratio [OR]: 1.7; and antibiotic administration >2 hours before incision, OR: 1.6) and three intraoperative risk factors (open surgery [OR: 3.7], high-risk procedure [OR: 3.5], and operative time OR: [2.6]) were associated with SSI risk. The manual score achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.831 and the automated algorithm achieved AUC of 0.868. Open surgery had the greatest impact on prediction, followed by procedure risk, operative time, and procedure urgency. At 80% sensitivity, the manual and automated scores achieved a positive predictive value of 16.3% and 22.0%, respectively. Both the manual and automated SSI risk prediction algorithms accurately identified at-risk populations. Use of either model before the patient leaves the operating room can provide the clinical team with evidence-based guidance to consider proactive intervention to prevent SSIs.

The EUPEMEN (EUropean PErioperative MEdical Networking) Protocol for Bowel Obstruction: Recommendations for Perioperative Care

Mechanical bowel obstruction is a common symptom for admission to emergency services, diagnosed annually in more than 300,000 patients in the States, from whom 51% will undergo emergency laparotomy. This condition is associated with serious morbidity and mortality, but it also causes a high financial burden due to long hospital stay. The EUPEMEN project aims to incorporate the expertise and clinical experience of national clinical specialists into development of perioperative rehabilitation protocols. Providing special recommendations for all aspects of patient perioperative care and the participation of diverse specialists, the EUPEMEN protocol for bowel obstruction, as presented in the current paper, aims to provide faster postoperative recovery and reduce length of hospital stay, postoperative morbidity and mortality rate.

The Role of an Assistant Nurse in Implementing the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist: Perception and Perspectives

Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist is a tool developed by the WHO to promote safer surgical practices and reduce the incidence of surgical errors and complications. This study aims to describe the role of assistant nurses in the implementation of this checklist by surgical teams. Materials and methods This descriptive study utilized a questionnaire-based survey conducted between September 2018 and March 2019 among 196 healthcare professionals at two surgical units in a university hospital in Sweden. The questionnaire covered demographic information such as age, gender, and occupation, as well as details about their workplace, experience, education/training on using the WHO checklist, the adaptation of the checklist to their department, their responsibilities in implementing and using the checklist, the frequency of use in emergency situations, and the impact on patient safety. Results The results of the study showed that assistant nurses, despite having the lowest level of education among healthcare professionals, were highly trusted and valued by other members of the surgical team. Most healthcare professionals were unsure who was responsible for using the WHO checklist but believed it was the assistant nurse's responsibility to ensure its implementation. Assistant nurses reported little to no training on using the checklist but noted that it had been adapted to the department's needs. Almost half (48.8%) of assistant nurses believed that the checklist was often used in emergency surgery, and most believed that it improved patient safety. Conclusions Improved understanding of the significance of assistant nurses in implementing the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist may enhance adherence to the checklist and potentially improve patient safety, as they were the most valued and trusted healthcare professionals in the surgical team according to the study's findings.

Overview of Patient Safety Culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina With Improvement Recommendations for Hospitals

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates the patient safety culture (PSC) in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). We identify factors that contribute to higher patient safety and improved reporting of adverse events, thereby developing recommendations to improve PSC.

METHODS

The study used a correlation design based on cross-sectional surveys in the healthcare sector of BiH (N = 2617). We analyzed the correlation between 9 PSC factors, 4 background characteristics (explanatory variables), and 2 outcome variables (patient safety grade and number of events reported). We also analyzed the variance to determine perceived differences in PSC across the various staff roles in hospitals.

RESULTS

The highest rated PSC factors were Hospital handoffs and transitions and Hospital management support for patient safety and the lowest rated factor was Nonpunitive response to error. Each of the 9 factors showed considerable potential to improve from a hospital, department, and outcome perspective. A comparison of the various employee positions shows significant differences in the PSC perceptions of managers versus nurses and doctors as well as nurses versus doctors.

CONCLUSIONS

We found average scores for most PSC factors, leaving the considerable potential for improvement. Compared with the number of events reported and background characteristics, it is evident that PSC factors contribute significantly to patient safety. These factors are essential for the targeted development of PSC. We propose evidence-based practices as recommendations for improving patients' safety factors.

Routine sterile glove and instrument change at the time of abdominal wound closure to prevent surgical site infection (ChEETAh): a pragmatic, cluster-randomised trial in seven low-income and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infection (SSI) remains the most common complication of surgery around the world. WHO does not make recommendations for changing gloves and instruments before wound closure owing to a lack of evidence. This study aimed to test whether a routine change of gloves and instruments before wound closure reduced abdominal SSI.

METHODS

ChEETAh was a multicentre, cluster randomised trial in seven low-income and middle-income countries (Benin, Ghana, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa). Any hospitals (clusters) doing abdominal surgery in participating countries were eligible. Clusters were randomly assigned to current practice (42) versus intervention (39; routine change of gloves and instruments before wound closure for the whole scrub team). Consecutive adults and children undergoing emergency or elective abdominal surgery (excluding caesarean section) for a clean-contaminated, contaminated, or dirty operation within each cluster were identified and included. It was not possible to mask the site investigators, nor the outcome assessors, but patients were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was SSI within 30 days after surgery (participant-level), assessed by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria and on the basis of the intention-to-treat principle. The trial has 90% power to detect a minimum reduction in the primary outcome from 16% to 12%, requiring 12 800 participants from at least 64 clusters. The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03700749.

FINDINGS

Between June 24, 2020 and March 31, 2022, 81 clusters were randomly assigned, which included a total of 13 301 consecutive patients (7157 to current practice and 6144 to intervention group). Overall, 11 825 (88·9%) of 13 301 patients were adults, 6125 (46·0%) of 13 301 underwent elective surgery, and 8086 (60·8%) of 13 301 underwent surgery that was clean-contaminated or 5215 (39·2%) of 13 301 underwent surgery that was contaminated-dirty. Glove and instrument change took place in 58 (0·8%) of 7157 patients in the current practice group and 6044 (98·3%) of 6144 patients in the intervention group. The SSI rate was 1280 (18·9%) of 6768 in the current practice group versus 931 (16·0%) of 5789 in the intervention group (adjusted risk ratio: 0·87, 95% CI 0·79-0·95; p=0·0032). There was no evidence to suggest heterogeneity of effect across any of the prespecified subgroup analyses. We did not anticipate or collect any specific data on serious adverse events.

INTERPRETATION

This trial showed a robust benefit to routinely changing gloves and instruments before abdominal wound closure. We suggest that it should be widely implemented into surgical practice around the world.

FUNDING

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinician Scientist Award, NIHR Global Health Research Unit Grant, Mölnlycke Healthcare.

Quality improvement in managing patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer by introducing a surgical checklist for transurethral resection of bladder tumor

BACKGROUND

The quality of transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) markedly varies among surgeons and may have a considerable impact on treatment outcomes. The importance of a surgical checklist for TURBT has been suggested in order to standardize the procedure and improve surgical and oncological outcomes. In the present study, we verified the usefulness of a checklist for managing patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

METHODS

This retrospective study included 201 NMIBC patients diagnosed with Ta, T1, or Tis between October 2011 and February 2021. After September 2016, TURBT was performed with a checklist. We analyzed the intravesical recurrence-free survival (RFS) rate and the presence or absence of the detrusor muscle in resected specimens before and after the introduction of the checklist. Survival rates were compared using the Log-rank test. A multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to verify risk factors for intravesical recurrence.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine patients who underwent TURBT with the checklist (checklist group) were compared with 102 patients who underwent TURBT without the checklist (non-checklist group). When the analysis was narrowed down to 9 critical items, we observed a mean number of 9 documented items per operative report (98.0% completion) after implementation of the checklist. Two-year intravesical RFS rates in the checklist and non-checklist groups were 76.7 and 69.5%, respectively (p = 0.1059). The Cox proportional multivariate analysis showed that the rate of intravesical recurrence was slightly lower in the checklist group (hazard ratio 0.7376, 95% CI 0.4064-1.3388, P = 0.3170).

CONCLUSION

The introduction of a checklist is recommended for the standardization of TURBT and increasing the quality of operative reporting, and it may also improve oncological outcomes.

Safety Attitude of Operating Room Personnel Associated With Accurate Completion of a Surgical Checklist: A Cross-sectional Observational Study

OBJECTIVE

How the checklist is executed in routine practice may reflect the teamwork and safety climate in the operating room (OR). This cross-sectional study aimed to identify whether the presence of a fully completed checklist in medical records was associated with teams' safety attitudes.

METHODS

Data from 29 French hospitals, including 5677 operated patients and 834 OR professionals, were prospectively collected. The degree of checklist compliance was categorized for each patient in 1 of 4 ways: full, incomplete, inaccurate, and no checklist completed. The members of OR teams were invited to complete a questionnaire including teamwork climate measurement (Safety Attitudes Questionnaire) and their opinion regarding checklist use, checklist audibly reading, and communication change with checklist. Multilevel modeling was performed to investigate the effect of variables related to hospitals and professionals on checklist compliance, after adjustment for patient characteristics.

RESULTS

A checklist was present for 83% of patients, but only 35% demonstrated full completion. Compared with no checklist, full completion was associated with higher safety attitude (high teamwork climate [adjusted odds ratio for full completion, 4.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.75-9.76]; communication change [1.31, 1.04-1.66]; checklist aloud reading [1.16, 1.02-1.32]) and was reinforced by the designation of a checklist coordinator (2.43, 1.06-5.55). Incomplete completion was also associated with enhanced safety attitude contrary to inaccurate completion.

CONCLUSIONS

Compliance with checklists is associated with safer OR team practice and can be considered as an indicator of the extent of safety in OR practice.

Simulation-based randomized trial of medical emergency cognitive aids

BACKGROUND

Medical emergencies are complex and stressful, especially for the young and inexperienced. Cognitive aids (CA) have been shown to facilitate management of simulated medical emergencies by experienced teams. In this randomized trial we evaluated guideline adherence and treatment efficacy in simulated medical emergencies managed by residents with and without CA.

METHODS

Physicians attending educational courses executed simulated medical emergencies. Teams were randomly assigned to manage emergencies with or without CA. Primary outcome was risk reduction of essential working steps. Secondary outcomes included prior experience in emergency medicine and CA, perceptions of usefulness, clinical relevance, acceptability, and accuracy in CA selection. Participants were grouped as "medical" (internal medicine and neurology) and "perioperative" (anesthesia and surgery) regarding their specialty. The study was designed as a prospective randomized single-blind study that was approved by the ethical committee of the University Duisburg-Essen (19-8966-BO).

TRIAL REGISTRATION

DRKS, DRKS00024781. Registered 16 March 2021-Retrospectively registered, http://www.drks.de/DRKS00024781 .

RESULTS

Eighty teams participated in 240 simulated medical emergencies. Cognitive aid usage led to 9% absolute and 15% relative risk reduction. Per protocol analysis showed 17% absolute and 28% relative risk reduction. Wrong CA were used in 4%. Cognitive aids were judged as helpful by 94% of the participants. Teams performed significantly better when emergency CA were available (p < 0.05 for successful completion of critical work steps). Stress reduction using CA was more likely in "medical" than in "perioperative" subspecialties (3.7 ± 1.2 vs. 2.9 ± 1.2, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In a high-fidelity simulation study, CA usage was associated with significant reduction of incorrect working steps in medical emergencies management and was characterized by high acceptance. These findings suggest that CA for medical emergencies may have the potential to improve emergency care.

Contemporary use of antimicrobial prophylaxis for surgical patients: An observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial prophylaxis is commonly used to prevent surgical site infection (SSI), despite concerns of overuse leading to antimicrobial resistance. However, it is unclear how often antimicrobials are used and whether guidelines are followed.

OBJECTIVES

To describe contemporary clinical practice for antimicrobial prophylaxis including guideline compliance, the rate of postoperative infection and associated side effects.

DESIGN

A prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study.

SETTING

Twelve United Kingdom National Health Service hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

One thousand one hundred and sixteen patients, aged at least 18 years undergoing specific colo-rectal, obstetric, gynaecological, urological or orthopaedic surgical procedures.

EXPOSURE

Compliance with guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis.

OUTCOMES

The primary outcome was SSI within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes were number of doses of antimicrobials for prophylaxis and to treat infection, incidence of antimicrobial-related side effects and mortality within 30 days after surgery. Data are presented as number with percentage (%) or median with interquartile range [IQR].Results of logistic regression analyses are presented as odds ratio/rate ratio (OR/RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS

1102 out of 1106 (99.6%) patients received antimicrobial prophylaxis, which was compliant with local guidelines in 929 out of 1102 (84.3%) cases. 2169 out of 51 28 (42.3%) doses of antimicrobials were administered as prophylaxis (median 1 [1 to 2] dose) and 2959 out of 5128 (57.7%) were administered to treat an infection (median 21 [11 to 28] doses). 56 patients (5.2%) developed SSI. Antimicrobial prophylaxis administered according to local guidelines was not associated with a lower incidence of SSI compared with administration outside guidelines [OR 0.90 (0.35 to 2.29); P  = 0.823]. 23 out of 1072 (2.2%) patients experienced a side effect of antimicrobial therapy. 7 out of 1082 (0.6%) patients died. The median hospital stay was 3 [1 to 5] days.

CONCLUSION

Antimicrobial prophylaxis was administered for almost all the surgical procedures under investigation. However, this was not always compliant with guidelines. Further research is required to determine whether the amount of prophylactic antimicrobials could be safely and effectively reduced without increasing the incidence of SSI.

Effect of the Surgical Safety Checklist on the incidence of adverse events: contributions from a national study

OBJECTIVE

the study evaluated the effect of using the safe surgery checklist (CL) on the incidence of adverse events (AE).

METHODS

cross-sectional and retrospective research with 851 patients undergoing surgical procedures in 2012 (n=428) and 2015 (n=423), representing the periods before and after CL implantation. The AE incidences for each year were estimated and compared. The association between the occurrence of AE and the presence of CL in the medical record was analyzed.

RESULTS

a reduction in the point estimate of AE was observed from 13.6% (before using the CL) to 11.8% (with the use of the CL). The difference between the proportions of AE in the periods before and after the use of CL was not significant (p=0.213). The occurrence of AE showed association with the following characteristics: anesthetic risk of the patient, length of stay, surgery time and classification of the procedure according to the potential for contamination. Considering the proportion of deaths, there was a significant reduction in deaths (p=0.007) in patients whose CL was used when compared to those without the use of the instrument. There was no significant association between the presence of CL and the occurrence of AE. It was concluded that the presence of CL in the medical record did not guarantee an expected reduction in the incidence of AE.

CONCLUSION

however, it is believed that the use of the instrument integrated with other patient safety strategies can improve the safety/quality of surgical care in the long term.

Spadework for Establishing Integrative Enhanced Recovery Program After Spine Surgery: Web-Based Survey Assessing Korean Medical Doctors’ Perspectives

Introduction

Efforts are necessary to promote postoperative patient management to reduce complications or side effects, particularly those adapted to spinal surgery. Considering compatible medical system in Korea, the study objective is to report the opinions of Korean medical doctors regarding integrative enhanced recovery after spine surgery.

Methods

From December 2020 to January 2021, members of the Korean Medical Association were asked to complete an online questionnaire regarding an integrative enhanced recovery program after spine surgery. A total of 726 participants responded to the survey.

Results

Approximately half of the respondents had more than 10 years of medical experience in the Korean health-care system, and 58.29% were affiliated with primary Korean medical clinics. The majority of respondents were not aware of the ERAS program (N = 412, 79.08%) but said that patient management would be advanced from the establishment of a postoperative medical program that reflected an integrated medical perspective (N = 505, 96.92%). Furthermore, Korean medical professionals believe that Korean medical interventions should play a major role in the pain management and digestive improvement sections of the upcoming postoperative program. Moreover, respondents claimed that Korean traditional medical modalities such as acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and herbal decoction should be included in the program.

Discussion/Conclusion

Responses collected from the present study can be used as a spadework for future studies. A study on the development of a comprehensive postoperative program that reflects the perspectives of patients and conventional medical doctors is needed.

Impact of surgical checklist and its completion on complications and mortality in urgent colorectal procedures

OBJECTIVE

to assess the impact of using a surgical checklist and its completion on complications such as surgical site infection (SSI), reoperation, readmission, and mortality in patients subjected to urgent colorectal procedures, as well as the reasons for non adherence to this instrument in this scenario, in a university hospital in Ottawa, Canada.

METHODS

this is a retrospective, epidemiological study. We collected data from an electronic database containing information on patients undergoing urgent colorectal operations, and analyzed the occurrence of SSI, reoperation, readmission, and death in a 30 day period, as well as the completion of the checklist. We conducted a descriptive statistical analysis and logistic regression.

RESULTS

we included 5,145 records, of which 5,083 (98.8%) had complete checklists. As for the outcomes evaluated, cases with complete checklists displayed higher SSI rate, 9.1% vs. 6.5% (p=0.466), lower reoperation rate, 5% vs.11.3% (p=0.023), lower readmission rates, 7.2% vs. 11.3% (p=0.209), and lower mortality, 3.0% vs. 6.5% (p=0.108) than cases with incomplete ones.

CONCLUSION

there was a high level of checklist completion and a larger number of the outcomes in the reduced percentage of incomplete checklists found, demonstrating the impact of its utilization on the safety of patients undergoing urgent operations.

Efeito do Checklist de cirurgia segura na incidência de eventos adversos: contribuições de um estudo nacional

RESUMO Objetivo: o estudo objetivou avaliar o efeito da utilização do checklist (CL) de cirurgia segura na incidência de eventos adversos (EA). Método: pesquisa transversal e retrospectiva com 851 pacientes submetidos a procedimentos cirúrgicos nos anos de 2012 (n=428) e 2015 (n=423), representando os períodos antes e após a implantação do CL. As incidências de EA para cada ano foram estimadas e posteriormente comparadas. Também foi analisada a associação entre a ocorrência do EA e a presença do CL no prontuário. Resultados: observou-se uma redução na estimativa pontual de EA de 13,6% (antes do uso do CL) para 11,8% (com a utilização do CL). No entanto, a diferença entre as proporções de EA nos períodos antes e após a utilização do CL não foi significativa (p=0,213). A ocorrência do EA mostrou associação significativa às seguintes características: risco anestésico do paciente, tempo de internação, tempo de cirurgia e classificação do procedimento segundo o potencial de contaminação. Considerando a proporção de óbitos ocorridos nas amostras, observou-se uma redução significativa de mortes (p=0,007) em pacientes cujo CL foi utilizado quando comparados aqueles sem o uso do instrumento. Não foi verificada associação significativa entre a presença do CL no prontuário e a ocorrência do EA de forma geral. Conclusão: a presença do CL no prontuário não garantiu uma redução esperada na incidência de EA. No entanto, acredita-se que o uso do instrumento integrado às demais estratégias de segurança do paciente possa melhorar a segurança/qualidade da assistência cirúrgica em longo prazo.

Knowledge, attitudes, and Expectations of Medical Staff Toward Medical Error Management Policies in Humanitarian Medicine: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

Patient safety, a major component of quality of care, is now an attribute of health care systems in developed countries at least. Although there is ever more research on this subject in developed countries, humanitarian medicine, mainly implemented in resource-poor countries, has yet to structure its own set of policies and strategies on patient safety and the management of medical errors.

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and expectations of medical humanitarian staff regarding the development of policies and strategies related to patient safety and medical error management in medical humanitarian action.

METHODS

We conducted 36 semistructured interviews with international medical and paramedical staff active in 6 medical humanitarian organizations after having interviewed the medical directors or the person in charge of quality of care and the legal advisors. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to a thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The interviews confirmed the current absence of clear investments in dealing with safety risks in the selected medical humanitarian organizations. The difficulties experienced by medical staff in reporting medical errors such as blame culture, lack of training, and absence of leadership committed on patient safety are nonspecific. Other arguments are related to the specific conditions of humanitarian settings: coexistence of different medical culture, absence of international or local regulations or external pressures, and great diversity of activities and contexts.

CONCLUSIONS

Interviewed staff expressed high expectations of receiving guidance from their organizations and support to adopt clear patient safety and medical error management policies adapted to their complex operational and clinical realities.

Impact of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist Relative to Its Design and Intended Use: A Systematic Review and Meta-Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to identify what parts of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO SSC) are working, what can be done to make it more effective, and to determine if it achieved its intended effect relative to its design and intended use.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis and meta-meta-analyses of findings in WHO SSC systematic reviews following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.

RESULTS

Twenty systematic reviews were included for qualitative thematic analysis. Narrative information was coded in 4 primary areas with a focus on impact of the WHO SSC. Four themes-Clinical Outcomes, Process Measures, Team Dynamics and Communication, and Safety Culture-pertained directly to the aims or purposes behind the development of the SSC. The other 2 themes-Efficiency and Workload involved in using the checklist and Checklist Impact on Institutional Practices-are associated with SSC use, but were not focal areas considered during its development. Included in the 20 systematic reviews were 24 unique observational cohort studies that reported pre-post data on a total of 18 clinical outcomes. Mortality, morbidity, surgical site infection, pneumonia, unplanned return to the operating room, urinary tract infection, blood loss requiring transfusion, unplanned intubation, and sepsis favored the use of the WHO SSC. Deep vein thrombosis was the only postoperative outcome assessed that did not favor use of the WHO SSC.

CONCLUSIONS

The WHO SSC positively impacts the things it was explicitly designed to address and does not positively impact things it was not explicitly designed for.

A Systematic Review of Interventions Used to Enhance Implementation of and Compliance With the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist in Adult Surgery

The focus of this systematic review is to identify and synthesize the evidence for effectiveness of interventions to increase compliance with the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) for adult surgery. We searched a variety of databases and identified 24 peer-reviewed articles of either a quantitative (n = 17), qualitative (n = 4), or mixed-methods design (n = 3) published in English from January 1, 2008, to July 8, 2020. Interventions included modifying the ways of delivering the SSC, integrating or tailoring the SSC to local context or existing practice, promoting clinician awareness and engagement, and managing policies. Despite a lack of common outcome measures, all quantitative and mixed-methods study results showed a significant positive effect on SSC compliance. A few researchers reported nonsignificant or negative changes in certain aspects with the interventions. Additional research is needed to address SSC compliance measures globally and outcomes in developing countries.

A retrospective audit of postoperative days alive and out of hospital, including before and after implementation of the WHO surgical safety checklist

We implemented the World Health Organization surgical safety checklist at Auckland City Hospital from November 2007. We hypothesised that the checklist would reduce postoperative mortality and increase days alive and out of hospital, both measured to 90 postoperative days. We compared outcomes for cohorts who had surgery during 18-month periods before vs. after checklist implementation. We also analysed outcomes during 9 years that included these periods (July 2004-December 2013). We analysed 9475 patients in the 18-month period before the checklist and 10,589 afterwards. We analysed 57,577 patients who had surgery from 2004 to 2013. Mean number of days alive and out of hospital (95%CI) in the cohort after checklist implementation was 1.0 (0.4-1.6) days longer than in the cohort preceding implementation, p < 0.001. Ninety-day mortality was 395/9475 (4%) and 362/10,589 (3%) in the cohorts before and after checklist implementation, multivariable odds ratio (95%CI) 0.93 (0.80-1.09), p = 0.4. The cohort changes in these outcomes were indistinguishable from longer-term trends in mortality and days alive and out of hospital observed during 9 years, as determined by Bayesian changepoint analysis. Postoperative mortality to 90 days was 228/5686 (4.0%) for Māori and 2047/51,921 (3.9%) for non-Māori, multivariable odds ratio (95%CI) 0.85 (0.73-0.99), p = 0.04. Māori spent on average (95%CI) 1.1 (0.5-1.7) fewer days alive and out of hospital than non-Māori, p < 0.001. In conclusion, our patients experienced improving postoperative outcomes from 2004 to 2013, including the periods before and after implementation of the surgical checklist. Māori patients had worse outcomes than non-Māori.

[Objective and subjective assessment of a structured approach to computed tomography scans of the paranasal sinuses]

BACKGROUND

Sound knowledge of individual anatomy is essential in sinus surgery to prevent potentially serious complications. For the paranasal sinuses, computed tomography (CT) is the imaging technique of choice to preoperatively analyze individual anatomy and the extent of disease.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a CT checklist to identify relevant anatomic variants in CTs of the paranasal sinuses.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Junior and senior otolaryngology residents were asked to assess sinus CT scans for anatomic variants before and after implementation of the CLOSE mnemonic (cribriform plate, lamina papyracea, Onodi cell, sphenoid sinus pneumatization, and [anterior] ethmoidal artery). The rate of correctly identified variants was calculated. A questionnaire was distributed for subjective evaluation of the usefulness of the checklist.

RESULTS

Six junior and six senior residents were included in the study. The rate of correctly identified anatomic variations significantly improved from 23.1 to 50.9% and 24 to 39.8%, respectively, after implementation of the CLOSE mnemonic. The subjective evaluation of the CLOSE criteria showed very positive results.

CONCLUSION

The structured approach to sinus CT scans using CT criteria can improve identification of critical anatomic variants in CT scans of the paranasal sinuses and is rated highly positively by residents in training.

Safe surgery checklist: evaluation in a neotropical region

OBJECTIVE

assess patient responses and associated factors of items on a safe surgery checklist, and identify use before and after protocol implementation from the records.

METHODS

a cohort study conducted from 2014 to 2016 with 397 individuals in stage I and 257 in stage II, 12 months after implementation, totaling 654 patients. Data were obtained in structured interviews. In parallel, 450 checklist assessments were performed in medical records from public health institutions in the Southwest II Health Region of Goiás state, Brazil.

RESULTS

six items from the checklist were evaluated and all of these exhibited differences (p < 0.000). Of the medical records analyzed, 69.9% contained the checklist in stage I and 96.5% in stage II, with better data completeness. In stage II, after training, the checklist was associated with surgery (OR; 1.38; IC95%: 1.25-1.51; p < 0.000), medium-sized hospital (OR; 1.11; CI95%; 1.0-1.17; p < 0.001), male gender (OR; 1.07; CI95%; 1.0-1.14; p < 0.010), type of surgery (OR; 1.7; CI95%: 1.07-1.14; p < 0.014) and antibiotic prophylaxis 30 to 60 min after incision (OR; 1.10; CI95%: 1.04-1.17; p < 0.000) and 30 to 60 min after surgery (OR; 1.23; CI95%: 1.04-1.45; p = 0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

the implementation strategy of the safe surgery checklist in small and medium-sized healthcare institutions was relevant and associated with better responses based on patient, data availability and completeness of the data.

Use of a surgical safety checklist after implementation in an academic veterinary hospital

OBJECTIVE

To determine the use and barriers to uptake of a surgical safety checklist (SSC) after implementation in a veterinary teaching hospital.

STUDY DESIGN

Voluntary online survey and retrospective study.

SAMPLE POPULATION

All personnel actively involved in the Ontario Veterinary College Health Sciences Centre small animal surgery service between October 2, 2018 and June 28, 2019.

METHODS

Surgical case logs and electronically initiated SSC were reviewed to calculate checklist use. The sample population was surveyed to identify factors and barriers associated with use of the SSC. Participants were allowed 1 month to respond, and five reminder emails were sent.

RESULTS

Forth-one of 50 (82%) participants completed the survey. The SSC was used in 374 of 784 (47.7%) surgeries. Use rates declined over sequential three-month intervals (P < .0001). Twenty-six of 41 (63%) respondents overestimated checklist use. Staff attitudes were largely supportive of the SSC, with 29 of 41 respondents suggesting mandatory application. Forgetfulness, hierarchal concerns, timing issues, perceived delays in care, lack of clarity regarding roles, and inadequate training were identified as obstacles to use of the SSC.

CONCLUSION

The SCC tested in this study was used in approximately half of the surgical procedures performed after its implementation. Hospital personnel were supportive of the SSC; forgetting to use the SSC was the most common barrier identified by respondents (24/41 [59%]).

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The SSC implementation experience and user feedback described here should be taken into consideration to improve design and implementation of future SSC.

Implementation of World Health Organization Guidelines in the Prevention of Surgical Site Infection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries:What We Know and Do Not Know

Background: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), infection is the most frequent complication in surgical procedures, and surgical site infections (SSIs) globally are the most frequent health-care-associated infections (HAIs). Preventing SSI is an important target for overall quality improvement and patient safety as well as supporting the infection prevention and control (IPC) global agenda. Methods: In 2018, the World Heath Organization (WHO) presented the first Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections. The WHO also simplified SSI surveillance materials and included process measures, critical to addressing the barriers existing in LMICs. Because surveillance activities alone will not lead to improvements and implementation is more challenging than guideline development, the WHO then outlined a novel, step by step approach for implementation based on its tried and tested improvement approach for IPC measures. These documents have been reviewed and summarized to achieve wider reach in the surgical community. Results: The WHO implementation guidance notes examples of current practice against the WHO SSI prevention guideline recommendations and considers LMIC settings. It identifies the related problem that needs to be addressed if the recommendation is not being applied consistently and reliably. It breaks down the steps required to make an improvement applying key elements known as the multi-modal improvement strategy. Conclusions: Implementation of IPC guidance documents and tools published by global organizations and national governments continues to be a challenge, especially for LMICs. Successful approaches need to include a science-based approach to implementation and improvement, as well as joined up working and learning across IPC and surgical communities. Real improvements can be only achieved, based on WHO workforce recommendations, with IPC programs including the staff to execute these programs and using a proven approach.

Impact of Surgical Checklist on Mortality, Reoperation, and Readmission Rates in Brazil, a Developing Country, and Canada, a Developed Country

PURPOSE

To compare the mortality, reoperation, and readmission rates before and after the implementation of a surgical checklist in Brazil and Canada.

DESIGN

An epidemiological, retrospective study was conducted.

METHODS

Preimplementation and postimplementation data were collected via patient chart reviews to determine mortality, reoperation, and readmission rates.

FINDINGS

In Brazil, a decrease in readmission rate from 2.9% to 1.7% (P = .518) was observed after the implementation of the checklist. In Canada, reoperation rate decreased from 5.6% to 4.8% (P = .649) and mortality from 1.7% to 0.9% (P = .407) after implementation. In the Brazilian institution, patients with incomplete checklists had increased rates of readmission, from 1.4% to 2.4% (P = .671), and reoperation, from 6.8% to 10.4% (P = .232).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of surgical checklist did not translate into improvements in the outcomes studied after its implementation in any of the scenarios evaluated. This result is possibly justified by the socioeconomic structure of each of these settings.

Effects of a Perioperative Safety Checklist on Postoperative Complications Following Surgery for Gastric Cancer: A Single-Center Preliminary Study

Objective. A Perioperative Safety Checklist (PSC) for gastric cancer (GC) was established to evaluate the effects of PSC on the clinical outcomes of GC. Methods. This single-center preliminary observational study conducted at a tertiary referral hospital included patients with GC who underwent surgery from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016, treated without PSC (allocated to the control group) and those who underwent surgery between January 1, 2017, and June 30, 2017, managed according to the PSC designated as the PSCGC (Perioperative Safety Checklist for Gastric Cancer) group. Results. Overall, 1072 cases were enrolled, 556 cases in PSCGC group and 526 cases in control group. After matching, there were 474 patients in each group. PSC intervention led to significant reductions of the incidence of postoperative intestinal fistula formation ( P = .034), the incidence of unplanned secondary surgery ( P = 0.039), and the total hospitalization expenses ( P < .001). Total completion rate of all 14 checklists items was 79.1%. Intraoperative blood loss in the complete and partial implementation groups was significantly lower than the complete nonimplementation group ( P = .002), whereas hospitalization cost showed an opposite trend, which was significantly higher in the incomplete nonimplementation group ( P = .015). Conclusion. PSC implementation was associated with a decreased incidence of gastrointestinal fistula formation, unplanned secondary surgery, and hospitalization cost in patients with GC. However, it had no effect on the in-hospital mortality, the incidence of postoperative complications during hospitalization (ie, incision complications and lung infections), unplanned secondary admission, and the duration of postoperative hospital stay.

Effect Of Surgical Safety Checklists On Gastric Cancer Outcomes: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Aims

Surgery is the primary treatment option for patients with gastric cancer, however the rate of postoperative complications are still high. The implementation of surgical safety checklists (SSCs) has been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SSCs on the clinical outcomes of gastric cancer.

Methods

A total of 881 gastric cancer patients who underwent D2 gastrectomy from May 2009 to April 2011 in a large teaching hospital in China were included in this retrospective study. Patients were matched and divided into the control group (SSC nonimplementation) and intervention group (SSC implementation). The outcomes including intraoperative condition, postoperative complications, and prognosis were then compared between the groups.

Results

The control group comprised 414 patients (47.0%), and the intervention group included 467 patients (53.0%). Patients in the intervention group had a significantly shorter length of postoperative stay (P < 0.001). Operation time, blood loss, blood transfusion, and hospital charges were comparable between the two groups (all P > 0.05). SSC was not associated with postoperative complications (all P > 0.05). Overall survival was also comparable between patients in the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The implementation of an SSC was associated with a decreased length of postoperative stay in gastric cancer patients following D2 gastrectomy but did not significantly affect the other outcomes.

The Need for Surgical Safety Checklists in Neurosurgery Now and in the Future-A Systematic Review

Safety checklists have been studied among various surgical patient groups, but evidence of their benefits in neurosurgery remains sparse. Since the implementation of the World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist, their use has become widespread. The aim of this review was to systematically review the state of the literature on surgical safety checklists in neurosurgery. Also, in the new era of robotics and artificial intelligence, there is a need to re-evaluate patient safety procedures in neurosurgery. A systematic review was conducted on PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, and MEDLINE for articles published between 2008 and 2016 using MeSH (medical subject heading) terms and keywords describing postoperative complications and surgical adverse events, and some additional searches were carried out until January 2019. Twenty-six original studies or reviews were eligible for this review. They were categorized into studies with patient-related outcomes, personnel-related outcomes, or previous reviews. Checklist use in neurosurgery was found to reduce hospital-acquired infectious complications and to enhance operating room safety culture. Checklists seem to improve patient safety in neurosurgery, although the amount of evidence is still limited. Despite their shortcomings, checklists are here to stay, and new research is required to update checklists to meet the requirements of the transforming working environment of the neurosurgery operating room.

World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist: Compliance and Associated Surgical Outcomes in Uganda's Referral Hospitals

BACKGROUND

A pilot study on the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) showed a reduction in both major complications and mortality of surgical patients. Compliance with this checklist varies around the world. We aimed to determine the extent of compliance with the WHO SSC and its association with surgical outcomes in 5 of Uganda's referral hospitals.

METHODS

A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted in 5 referral hospitals in Uganda. Using a questionnaire based on the WHO SSC, patients undergoing surgical operations were systematically recruited into the study from April 2016 to July 2016. The patients were followed up daily for 30 days or until discharge for the purpose of documentation of complications. Logistic regression and linear regression were used to assess for association between compliance and perioperative surgical outcomes.

RESULTS

We recruited 859 patients into the study. Overall compliance with the WHO SSC was 41.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 39.7-43.8) ranging from 11.9% to 89.8% across the different hospitals. Overall compliance with "sign in" was 44.7% (95% CI, 43-45.6), with "time out" was 42.0% (95% CI, 39.4-44.6), and with "sign out" was 33.3% (95% CI, 30.7-35.9). There was no association between compliance and perioperative surgical outcomes: length of hospital stay, adverse events, and mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

This study revealed low levels of compliance with the WHO SSC. There was a statistically significant association between this level of compliance and the incidence of pain and loss of consciousness postoperatively.

Effect of surgical safety checklist on colorectal surgical site infection rates in 2 countries: Brazil and Canada

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of the surgical safety checklist (SSC) in countries with different socioeconomic backgrounds is uncertain. To evaluate the effect of the SSC in 2 different socioeconomic settings, we compared surgical site infection (SSI) rates before and after its implementation in colorectal procedures.

METHODS

An epidemiological retrospective study was conducted in the university hospitals in Ottawa, Canada, and Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Data were collected through chart review from the period before and after the SSC implementation.

RESULTS

The SSI rate decreased from 27.7%-25.9% (P = .625) and from 17.0%-14.4% in Canada and Brazil, respectively (P = .448) after the SSC implementation. In Canada, there was no SSI in incomplete SSC, and in Brazil, SSI was 20.0% (P = .026).

DISCUSSION

Despite high and regular completion of the SSC in the Canadian and Brazilian hospitals, respectively, there was no significant reduction of SSI after the SSC implementation in any setting. However, in Brazil, the association between incomplete SSC and higher SSI rates demonstrated the potential impact of the SSC in developing countries.

CONCLUSIONS

The effect of the SSC on SSI may be greater in developing countries due to minor investment and consolidation of policies in SSI prevention.

From box ticking to the black box: the evolution of operating room safety

PURPOSE

Efforts to improve the safety of patients in the operating room have focused on mitigating harm through the standardization of system, team, and human level factors. This article highlights existing and future methods for enhancing safety in the perioperative setting, and the theory and principles that underpin them.

METHODS

Evidence surrounding the development and implementation of select surgical safety interventions is discussed.

RESULTS

Work in human factors and engineering that has inspired safety interventions such as the WHO Safety Checklist, and more recently operating room recorders, represents a movement away from traditional, retrospective or reactive methods of studying surgical safety, to prospective and proactive ones.

CONCLUSIONS

Future work will examine the effectiveness of these interventions for improving patient outcomes and minimizing iatrogenic harm.

Reducing surgical mortality in Scotland by use of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist

Background

The WHO Surgical Safety Checklist has been implemented widely since its launch in 2008. It was introduced in Scotland as part of the Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) between 2008 and 2010, and is now integral to surgical practice. Its influence on outcomes, when analysed at a population level, remains unclear.

Methods

This was a population cohort study. All admissions to any acute hospital in Scotland between 2000 and 2014 were included. Standardized differences were used to estimate the balance of demographics over time, after which interrupted time-series (segmented regression) analyses were performed. Data were obtained from the Information Services Division, Scotland.

Results

There were 12 667 926 hospital admissions, of which 6 839 736 had a surgical procedure. Amongst the surgical cohort, the inpatient mortality rate in 2000 was 0·76 (95 per cent c.i. 0·68 to 0·84) per cent, and in 2014 it was 0·46 (0·42 to 0·50) per cent. The checklist was associated with a 36·6 (95 per cent c.i. –55·2 to –17·9) per cent relative reduction in mortality (P &lt; 0·001). Mortality rates before implementation were decreasing by 0·003 (95 per cent c.i. –0·017 to +0·012) per cent per year; annual decreases of 0·069 (–0·092 to –0·046) per cent were seen during, and 0·019 (–0·038 to +0·001) per cent after, implementation. No such improvement trends were seen in the non-surgical cohort over this time frame.

Conclusion

Since the implementation of the checklist, as part of an overall national safety strategy, there has been a reduction in perioperative mortality.

[Modal analysis of failures and effects in intra-hospital transfers]

OBJECTIVES

To identify gaps in patient safety during intra-hospital transfers.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A working group was set up and patient transfers carried out in the different healthcare areas of a hospital were identified. Using the Modal Failure and Effects Analysis (FMEA), the risks of each failure mode identified were quantified using the Risk Prioritisation Index (RPI) and establishing improvement measures for all RPIs with scores greater than 100.

RESULTS

There were 31 critical points that could lead to failures / deficiencies in 20 types of transfers. A total of 35 safety improvement measures were proposed for the transfers in the different areas analysed.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of FMEA has made it possible to objectify the risks for patient safety during internal hospital transfers by providing information to prioritise improvement strategies.

A quality improvement project to reduce postoperative adverse respiratory events and increase safety in the postanesthesia care unit of a pediatric institution

BACKGROUND

Quality improvement methods can identify solutions and make dramatic improvements in patient safety during daily clinical care. The science of quality improvement in healthcare is still a very new concept in developing countries like China.

AIMS

We initiated a quality improvement project to minimize adverse respiratory events in our postanesthesia care unit with the guidance of an experienced quality improvement expert from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

METHODS

We set up a quality improvement team that included anesthesia safety team members at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, and a quality improvement expert in pediatric anesthesia from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Data from the previous year were reviewed. After using Failure Mode and Effect Analysis to access risks associated with the current process, a Key Driver Diagram and a Smart Aim were developed. Key drivers included establishing a safety culture, resource allocation to meet needs, education and training, standardization of care, improved communication and handoff, and enhanced detection, recognition, and response to adverse events. Using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles of the improvement model, interventions were conducted to improve the process. The primary outcome was the percentage of postoperative respiratory adverse events in the postanesthesia care unit, and we calculated the average recovery time as a balancing measure. Data were collected and analyzed using a run chart and control chart.

RESULTS

The median percentage of respiratory adverse events in postanesthesia care unit decreased from 2.8% to 1.4%. Respiratory adverse events were reduced by over 30% compared to the previous period with no significant change in mean recovery time.

CONCLUSION

Using quality improvement methods, we successfully reduced the percentage of respiratory adverse events in the postanesthesia care unit. This helped to establish a safety culture among the anesthesia staff. Quality and safety improvement can be successfully implemented in developing countries like China with collaboration with quality improvement experts from more experienced institutions.

Surgical Safety Checklists in Children's Surgery: Surgeons' Attitudes and Review of the Literature

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Introduction:

Surgical safety checklists (SSCs) aim to create a safe operating room environment for surgical patients. Provider attitudes toward checklists affect their ability to prevent harm. Pediatric surgeons’ perceptions surrounding SSCs, and their role in improving patient safety, are unknown.

Methods:

American Pediatric Surgical Association members conducted an online survey to evaluate the use of and attitudes toward SSCs. The survey measured surgeons’ perceptions of checklists, including the components that make them effective and barriers to participation. To better evaluate the available data on SSCs, the authors performed a systematic literature review on the use of SSCs with a focus on pediatric studies.

Results:

Of the 353 survey respondents, 93.6% use SSCs and 62.6% would want one used in their own child’s operation, but only 54.7% felt that checklists improve patient safety. Reasons for checklist skepticism included the length of the checklist process, a distraction from thoughtful patient care, and lack of data supporting use. Literature review shows that checklists improve communication, promote teamwork, and identify errors, but do not necessarily decrease morbidity. Staff perception is a major barrier to implementation.

Conclusions:

Almost all pediatric surgeons participate in SSCs at their institutions, but many question their benefit. Better pediatric surgeon engagement in checklist use is needed to change the safety culture, improve operating room communication, and prevent harm.

Effects on Clinical Outcomes of a 5-Year Surgical Safety Checklist Implementation Experience: A Large-scale Population-Based Difference-in-Differences Study

The adoption of a surgical checklist is strongly recommended worldwide as an effective practice to improve patient safety; however, several studies have reported mixed results and a number of issues are still unresolved. The main objective of this study was to explore the impact of the first 5-year period of a surgical checklist-based intervention in a large regional health care system in Italy (4 500 000 inhabitants). We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study on 1 166 424 patients who underwent surgery in 48 public hospitals between 2006 and 2014. The adherence to the checklist was measured between 2011 and 2013 through a computerized database. The effects of the intervention were explored through multivariable logistic regression and difference-in-differences (DID) approaches, based on current administrative data sources. In-hospital and 30-days mortality, 30-days readmissions and length-of-stay (LOS) ⩾8 days were the observed outcomes. Adherence to the checklist showed marked variations across hospitals (0%-93.3%). A pre/post analysis detected statistically significant differences between surgical interventions performed in hospitals with higher adherence to the checklist (⩾75% of the surgeries) and those performed in other hospitals, as for the 30-days readmissions rate (odds ratio [OR]: 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94-0.98) and LOS ⩾ 8 days rate (OR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.87-0.89). These findings were confirmed after risk adjustment and DID analysis. No association was observed with mortality outcomes. On the whole, our study attained mixed results. Although a protective effect of the surgical checklist use could not be proved over the first 5 years of this regional implementation experience, our research offers some methodological insights for practical use in the evaluation process of large-scale implementation projects.

Enhancing the quality and safety of the perioperative patient

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Many possible hazards bedevil the perioperative patient. This review focuses on a number of aspects of perioperative management where the patient's quality and safety can be enhanced.

RECENT FINDINGS

Our understanding of the relationship between preoperative preparation and postoperative outcomes has improved. There have also been recent developments in our understanding of how to construct useful cognitive aids and make the best use of checklists by understanding the cultural environment supporting their use. Postoperatively, the concept of 'failure to rescue' in the surgical patients has been explored.

SUMMARY

A clear vision of what postoperative recovery should mean for practitioner and patients; careful risk stratification and prophylactic measures to avoid postoperative complications; the judicious use of checklists and other cognitive aids to complement clinical expertise in promoting safety within each local context; and the prompt recognition and rescue of postoperative problems when they occur are all important aspects of a safe perioperative care.

Analysis of hospital infection register indicates that the implementation of WHO surgical safety checklist has an impact on early postoperative neurosurgical infections

WHO surgical safety checklist has been proven to reduce postoperative infections in several studies. The aim of our study was to focus on surgical site infections (SSIs) after neurosurgical operations, and to determine whether the checklist implementation would have an impact on the reported SSIs. We used hospital-acquired infection (HAI) register to evaluate the effects of WHO surgical safety checklist in neurosurgery. The HAI register was searched for superficial and deep SSIs, deep organ SSIs, infections following orthopaedic implantation, and other surgical infections of 4678 neurosurgical patients operated on between 2007 and 2011. The data analysis consisted of 95 and 104 neurosurgical postoperative infections before and after the checklist implementation. Time from operation to infection was shorter before than after checklist implementation (p = 0.039), indicating a positive effect of the checklist use in the onset of early HAIs. The overall incidence of SSIs of all neurosurgical patients did not differ (4.1% and 4.5%, respectively) and no differences were noticed in the incidences of the subgroups of superficial SSIs, deep SSIs, and deep organ SSIs. The reduction in early postoperative infection rate along with checklist implementation, but not in the long run indicates the complexity of preventing HAIs in neurosurgical patients and need for a multistep infection control approach.

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world.

METHODS

This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231.

FINDINGS

Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p<0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05-2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p<0·001).

INTERPRETATION

Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication.

FUNDING

DFID-MRC-Wellcome Trust Joint Global Health Trial Development Grant, National Institute of Health Research Global Health Research Unit Grant.

Comparação das taxas de infecção cirúrgica após implantação do checklist de segurança

Resumo Objetivo Comparar taxas de infecção de sítio cirúrgico em cirurgia limpa antes e após implantação do checklist proposto pela Organização Mundial de Saúde. Métodos Estudo observacional, descritivo, retrospectivo do tipo correlacional, realizado em um hospital geral. Amostra constituída por 15.319 registros de cirurgias limpas das especialidades traumato-ortopedia, cardiovascular, plástica, geral e urologia monitoradas pelo Serviço de Controle de Infecção Hospitalar. Antes da implantação do checklist foram avaliados 5.481 registros e após 9.838. Análise realizada com Software SPSS 22.0 e aplicação do teste qui-quadrado de Pearson, considerando-se significativo p<0,05. Resultados A taxa geral de infecção em cirurgia limpa foi 4.17% no período pré-implantação do checklist e 1.10% pós (p<0.05), com redução estatisticamente significativa nas cirurgias de coluna, aneurisma e by-pass, abdominoplastia, mamoplastia, herniorrafia e prostatectomia. Conclusão Observou-se redução significativa da taxa de infecção de sítio cirúrgico nas cirurgias limpas quando comparados os períodos pré e pós-implantação do checklist proposto pela Organização Mundial de Saúde.

Diagnosing Crime and Diagnosing Disease: Bias Reduction Strategies in the Forensic and Clinical Sciences

Cognitive effort is an essential part of both forensic and clinical decision-making. Errors occur in both fields because the cognitive process is complex and prone to bias. We performed a selective review of full-text English language literature on cognitive bias leading to diagnostic and forensic errors. Earlier work (1970-2000) concentrated on classifying and raising bias awareness. Recently (2000-2016), the emphasis has shifted toward strategies for "debiasing." While the forensic sciences have focused on the control of misleading contextual cues, clinical debiasing efforts have relied on checklists and hypothetical scenarios. No single generally applicable and effective bias reduction strategy has emerged so far. Generalized attempts at bias elimination have not been particularly successful. It is time to shift focus to the study of errors within specific domains, and how to best communicate uncertainty in order to improve decision making on the part of both the expert and the trier-of-fact.

Changes in safety climate and teamwork in the operating room after implementation of a revised WHO checklist: a prospective interventional study

Background

Inter-professional teamwork in the operating room is important for patient safety. The World Health Organization (WHO) checklist was introduced to improve intraoperative teamwork. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety climate in a Swedish operating room setting before and after an intervention, using a revised version of the WHO checklist to improve teamwork.

Methods

This study is a single center prospective interventional study. Participants were personnel working in operating room teams including surgeons, anesthesiologists, scrub nurses, nurse anaesthetists and nurse assistants. The study started with pre-interventional observations of the WHO checklist use followed by education on safety climate, the WHO checklist, and non-technical skills in the operating room. Thereafter a revised version of the WHO checklist was introduced. Post-interventional observations regarding the performance of the WHO checklist were carried out. The Safety Attitude Questionnaire was used to assess safety climate at baseline and post-intervention.

Results

At baseline we discovered a need for improved teamwork and communication. The participants considered teamwork to be important for patient safety, but had different perceptions of good teamwork between professions. The intervention, a revised version of the WHO checklist, did not affect teamwork climate. Adherence to the revision of the checklist was insufficient, dominated by a lack of structure.

Conclusions

There was no significant change in teamwork climate by use of the revised WHO checklist, which may be due to insufficient implementation, as a lack of adherence to the WHO checklist was detected. We found deficiencies in teamwork and communication. Further studies exploring how to improve safety climate are needed.

Trial registration

NCT02329691.