By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Teamwork Improves Surgical Safety and Reduces Mortality
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Hospital Administration > Teamwork Improves Surgical Safety and Reduces Mortality
BusinessHospital Administration

Teamwork Improves Surgical Safety and Reduces Mortality

StephenSchimpff
StephenSchimpff
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

Like the cockpit, the operating room (OR) is fraught with high intensity, high complexity, high velocity, and high stakes. And as a capital intense location which serves as the financial engine of many or not most hospitals, there is pressure to use the OR efficiently. Like the cockpit, there is hierarchy, and a deep culture which includes strongly held rituals and customs. Unfortunately, there are also errors of omission and commission which lead to adverse outcomes including patient mortality. Airlines have proven that teamwork in the cockpit improves safety substantially to the extent that commercial airlines demand and licensing now requires evidence of team competency. Some hospitals have used the airline team training model – called crew resource management – to improve teamwork in the OR. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has 130 hospitals providing surgery and in 2006 mandated team training nationwide. Since it took time to arrange the training for each hospital, a study was instituted to compare surgical mortality between those hospitals which had already undergone training and those which had yet to do so (Journal of the American Medical Association, Oct 20, 2010 – both the article and accompanying editorial.) The mandatory team training included working as a team, challenging each other as to perceived risks or safety lapses, checklist guidance, and preoperative briefing and post operative debriefing. Team members were also taught various communication strategies, how to step back and reassess, how to communicate during care transitions and basic rules of conduct. The major measure was surgical mortality which was reduced by 18% in the 74 hospitals that had received the training compared to a 7% reduction in the 34 hospitals yet untrained (the controls.) The risk-adjusted mortality rates dropped from 17 per 1000 patients before training to 14 after training. The study demonstrated the value of team training in reducing mortality. I would add that, although not studied, it is likely that errors were reduced overall. Surgical teams are often excellent at responding to problems including those resultant from human error. Reducing mortality was obviously important, indeed very important, but reducing preventable errors overall – as I will presume occurred – will have meant a better outcome for many patients. The concept of team training is relevant not just in the OR but in many hospital settings such as bedside patient care rounds and with procedures done in the cardiac As I have written about before, the more team training is fostered, and indeed mandated, the lower will be the rate of preventable errors.   Stephen Schimpff, MD is retired CEO of the University of Maryland Medicine Center, a professor of medicine and public policy and author of “The Future of Medicine – Megatrends in Healthcare.” Submitted April 12, 2011

TAGGED:health care businessStephen Schimpff Seriesteamwork
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

Patient Saying No
Business

Patient Reactance: What It Is and Why Clinicians Need to Be Aware of It

August 21, 2014
Product target calculation
BusinessHospital AdministrationPolicy & Law

Measure What You Manage, With Caveats: Thoughts on Surgeon Ratings

July 27, 2015
risk adverse
Business

7 Healthcare Marketing Stumbles and Blunders

September 26, 2014

Should Popular Doctors Be Paid More?

January 18, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?