OPB News · Checklist Helps Oregon Surgeons Make Fewer Mistakes

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Checklist Helps Oregon Surgeons Make Fewer Mistakes

Kristian Foden-Vencil | February 24, 2010 | Portland, OR

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Oregon surgeons estimate they're making 30 percent fewer mistakes following the introduction of a new safety system last year. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The 'World Health Organization Surgical Check' is basically a list of questions. At certain points during a surgery, doctors and nurses verify aloud that they are performing the right procedure on the right part of the right patient.

Doctor Leslie Ray, of Oregon Patient Safety Commission, says it's been a great success.

Leslie Ray: "In general humans are not very good at, I'm going to use quotes around here: 'dumb things.' Humans are much better at complex thinking. so this just takes that memory piece out of it. They don't have to rely on the memory. They can focus an concentrate on the complexities."

One surgical team realized the correct blood type was not available. Another team discovered the patient was allergic to iodine.

About 75 percent of Oregon hospitals have now adopted the checklist.

It evolved in the airline industry, where flight crews were often unwilling to question the authority of a pilot, sometimes with tragic results.

Kristian Foden-Veincl, OPB News.