Journal Article

Introduction of Surgical Safety Checklists in Ontario, Canada

Urbach, David R, Saskin, Refik, Wilton, Andrew S, Govindarajan, Anand, Baxter, Nancy N

2014

Overview

Public reporting of adherence to surgical safety checklists was mandated for all hospitals in Ontario, beginning in July 2010. In this study of administrative data, checklist introduction was not associated with significant reductions in operative mortality or complications. A study published in 2009 showed that implementation of the 19-item World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist substantially reduced the rate of surgical complications, from 11.0% to 7.0%, and reduced the rate of in-hospital death from 1.5% to 0.8%. 1 The WHO estimated that at least 500,000 deaths per year could be prevented through worldwide implementation of this checklist. 2 This dramatic effect of a relatively simple and accessible intervention resulted in its widespread adoption. In the United Kingdom, a nationwide program was implemented by the National Health Service within weeks after publication of the WHO study, 3 and almost 6000 hospitals . . .

• Publisher: Massachusetts Medical Society
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Biological and medical sciences / Check lists / Checklist / Child / Child, Preschool / Female / General aspects / Hospital Mortality / Hospitals / Hospitals - standards / Humans / Infant / Long term health care / Male / Medical sciences / Middle Aged / Mortality / Ontario / Patient Safety / Postoperative Complications - epidemiology / Postoperative Complications - mortality / Reporting requirements / Risk / Safety / Surgery / Surgical outcomes / Surgical Procedures, Operative - mortality / Surgical Procedures, Operative - standards