Maintaining a healthy line of communication is key to just about anything in life. But what if it could save lives? An article in the NY Times illustrates the benefits of open communication that doctors and nurses are finding in operating rooms around the world. By utilizing a 19-item checklist that ranges from a brief introduction of each team member, to confirming that all of the necessary equipment for surgery is available and sterilized, team members in the OR are cutting down on surgical complications and deaths.

A study conducted by the World Health Organization monitored statistics for one year in hospitals ranging from the US and Canada, to the Philippines and Tanzania. The results were notable as the average death rate dropped from 1.5 percent to 0.8 percent when a checklist was used. The rate of complications also decreased from 11 to 7 percent.

Taking the time to hear about each team member and what they do creates an open dialogue which is conducive to good communication and thus a safer environment for the patient – which is the first priority.

Patient safety should be considered at all turns, while precautions are taken in any and every area of practice. Using an independent review organization like AllMed to conduct external peer reviews is another option to help facilitate healthy, open communication in a hospital, and helps to increase patient safety.

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