St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Conn., trains its operating room staff to use a checklist to avoid procedural errors, according to a Hartford Courant report.
In April 2011, after a year of using the checklist in more than 2,000 surgeries, the compliance rate with using the checklists was at 97 percent, and 30-day postoperative complications decreased from 21 percent to 6 percent.
The training program, created by Scott Ellner, DO, director of surgical quality at the hospital, includes 40 one-hour sessions about checklist use and communication skills. Kelly Hansen, a perioperative charge nurse and co-coordinator of the program, said the training is important not only to teach use of the checklist but also to help change the culture of the operating room, according to the report.
The One Change ORs Should Make to Improve Efficiency: 9 Responses
How One Hospital Increased First Case On-Time Starts From 4% to 72%
In April 2011, after a year of using the checklist in more than 2,000 surgeries, the compliance rate with using the checklists was at 97 percent, and 30-day postoperative complications decreased from 21 percent to 6 percent.
The training program, created by Scott Ellner, DO, director of surgical quality at the hospital, includes 40 one-hour sessions about checklist use and communication skills. Kelly Hansen, a perioperative charge nurse and co-coordinator of the program, said the training is important not only to teach use of the checklist but also to help change the culture of the operating room, according to the report.
Related Articles on OR Efficiency:
10 Experts Share the One Behavior They Believe Cripples an ORThe One Change ORs Should Make to Improve Efficiency: 9 Responses
How One Hospital Increased First Case On-Time Starts From 4% to 72%