Web-based handoff tool reduces medical-surgical errors
Editor's Note Hospitals can avoid medical-surgical patient handoff errors by using a web-based handoff tool to improve communication among physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers, this study finds. Of 5,407 patients included in the study, 77 errors were detected before implementation of the handoff tool versus 45 after implementation. Brigham…
Nontechnical skills also matter in surgical patient safety
Editor's Note Technical and nontechnical skills are both important to successfully and safely perform surgical procedures, according to recommendations presented August 5 at the National Surgical Patient Safety Summit in Rosemont, Illinois. Among the recommendations were that the surgeon, anesthesiologist, nurses, and support staff ensure consistent use of surgical safety…
Targeted communication training raises hospital safety culture scores
Implementation of crew resource management training at a large academic medical center led to statistically significant improvements in 10 out of 12 dimensions of safety culture, according to surveys conducted before and after training took place. Crew resource management (CRM) is a systematic approach adapted from the airline industry to…
Association between checklist performance and surgeon buy-in, surgical teamwork
Editor's Note Surgeon buy-in and surgical teamwork were crucial in prompting case-related conversations but not in completing surgical safety checklists, this study finds. Of 207 procedures observed by 10 South Carolina hospitals, few teams completed most or all surgical safety checklist items. All measures of teamwork and surgeon buy-in related…
Effect of adverse events disclosures on surgeons’ well-being
Editor's Note Surgeons who were less likely to follow national guidelines for disclosure of adverse events to patients were more likely to be negatively affected by the events, this study finds. A survey of 67 surgeons at Veterans Affairs medical centers found that most used five of eight recommended disclosure…
Automated communication system helps prevent SSIs
Editor's Note An automated text and voice messaging system improved communication about preventive steps orthopedic patients should take a week before surgery and the postoperative signs of infection to report in the 2 weeks after surgery. The system reminds patients to fill their prescriptions for antibiotic ointment and body wash…
Association between readmissions and quality of discharge planning
Editor's Note Patients who received high-quality discharge planning were less likely to be readmitted within 30 days, finds this study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study of 2.1 million patients in 16 states, who were treated for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and total hip or…
Teamwork key to survival of Orlando shooting victims
It was shortly after 2 am on Sunday, June 12. Ambulances, trucks, and cars started arriving at Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC) loaded with shooting victims from a terrorist attack at the Pulse nightclub. Because ORMC was just a couple of blocks from the nightclub, first responders loaded multiple victims…
Wearable technology brings both benefits and risks to the OR
Personal wearable technology, which covers the gamut from activity trackers such as Fitbit to e-textiles that monitor vital signs, have the potential to revolutionize healthcare. Like most innovations, however, the technology comes with risks. For OR leaders, those risks include possible security breaches, distractions, and violation of patient privacy and…
Secure apps loop in families during surgery
How do OR leaders enhance family members’ satisfaction with the communication they receive when their loved ones are in surgery? Thanks to advances in technology, many are turning to tools like mobile apps and text messaging. At Memorial Medical Center (MMC) in Springfield, Illinois, Lexanne Darwent, BSN, RN, helped implement…
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