O C T O B E R 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 7 5
You were on the team that developed the World
Health Organization's safety checklist that's used
in ORs around the world. Are you amazed by how
the tool has developed into an essential part of
pre-op routines?
Checklists weren't new to medicine a decade ago
when we published the first large systematic evalu-
ation of the safety checklist in surgery, but it is
remarkable how fast acceptance of the tool has
spread and how widespread its use has become. I
was a bit skeptical that we could make such a dra-
matic change in patient safety in such a short period
of time. When we first developed and tested the
checklist, I thought I'd be an old, retired surgeon
before it was actually used in practice.
How can surgical teams improve application
of the checklist?
Unfortunately, the checklist is often viewed as an audit
tool, which staff and surgeons use to simply check off
boxes before operating. It's actually supposed to
inspire and guide communication among members of
the surgical team. It should empower them to speak up
and share their common knowledge about the patient.
They should discuss what's expected to occur during
surgery and where potential safety pitfalls might occur.
elebrating 10 Years
of the Surgical Safety Checklist
C
Thomas Weiser, MD
Checklist co-creator and champion of safer patient care
