In September 2009, the Government of Ontario announced another tool to further its goal of improving patient safety in Ontario hospitals – the surgical safety checklist (SSC).
The surgical safety checklist is a one-page list of 26 of the most common tasks and items that operating room teams carry out to ensure patient safety.
Major areas of evaluation within the checklist include:
1. Briefing– Before induction of anaesthesia
2. Time out– Before skin incision
3. Debriefing – Before patient leaves the operating room
The Ministry of Health has identified the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) Surgical Safety Checklist as the checklist to be adopted by all hospitals. GRH partnered with St. Mary’s General Hospital (SMGH) to implement the checklist (click to view the PDF file of the checklist) early in January 2010.
Originally developed as a tool to support patient care though professional preparation and teamwork, the consistent use of this checklist has been shown to reduce the rates of death and complications associated with surgical care.
GRH’s surgical safety checklist compliance rates since the checklist came into effect is outlined below:
| Time period | Result |
|---|---|
| April-June 2010 | 99.8% |
| July-September 2010 | 99.7% |
| November-December 2010 | 99.8% |
| January-June 2011 | 99.9% |
| July-December 2011 | 99.8% |
| January-June 2012 | 99.7% |
| July-December 2012 | 99.78% |
| January-June 2013 | 99.96% |
| July to December 2013 | 100% |
| January to June 2014 | 99.84% |
| July to December 2014 | 99.96% |
| January to June 2015 | 99.92% |