Development and validation of the SURgical PAtient Safety System (SURPASS) checklist.
de Vries EN, Hollmann MW, Smorenburg SM, et al. Development and validation of the SURgical PAtient Safety System (SURPASS) checklist. Qual Saf Health Care. 2009;18(2):121-6. doi:10.1136/qshc.2008.027524.
The adoption of the checklist as a tool to improve patient safety continues to gain momentum, largely driven by its success in reducing catheter-related blood stream infections, mortality, and inpatient complications. This study describes a comprehensive and multidisciplinary surgical safety checklist that addresses the entire surgical pathway from admission to discharge. Investigators observed more than 170 high-risk surgical procedures during which nearly 600 process deviations were noted. Their SURPASS checklist captured 96% of the noted deviations. The authors share feedback received about their tool during implementation along with practical suggestions for improvement.