This news article reports an independent analysis of patient risk at hospitals that provide surgeries they infrequently perform, highlighting how high procedure volume and the presence of an experienced surgical team at a hospital can enhance the safety of surgical care delivered.

Research has documented a substantial learning curve for surgeons as they develop skills to use robotic technologies. Drawing from data submitted to the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, this article analyzes the 722 safety events involving robotic-assisted surgery reported since 2005—approximately 75% of these incidents did not result in harm but 10 patient deaths were recorded—and discusses the challenges introduced as robotic-assisted surgery becomes accepted as standard surgical practice.

This piece identifies risk factors associated with retention of foreign objects and suggests several tactics to prevent its occurrence.

This article investigates the causes of surgical errors reported in recent years by Massachusetts hospitals, and identifies team training and instrument bar-coding as solutions for improvement.