Though surgical safety checklists may be completed in 85 percent of surgeries, they are accurate only 50 percent of the time, according to an article published in Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Researchers examined the use of the World Health Organization's SSC as a tool for improving patient safety and surgical outcomes in nearly 700 surgeries.
In the study hospital, participation in SSC use increased from 33 percent to 94 percent over one year. Compliance with the checklist was static over the course of the study, with completion and accuracy rates remaining stable despite increase in SSC usage.
The study concluded research is needed to identify barriers to SSC accuracy to complement high participation and completion levels.
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