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Checklist from WHO for safe surgery

Source agency:

NOKC

Date of Submission:

20/11/2009

Date of Printing:

10/03/2010

Disclaimer:

This report is work in progress and should not be used for external distribution without permission from the originating agency. Users should be aware that reports are based on information available at the time of research and often on a limited literature search.

Technology, Company & Licensing

Technology name:

Surgical safety schecklist

Technology - description:

In 2008 WHO launched a simple 19-item checklist for increased safety in surgical procedures as part of the campaign Safe surgery safes lifes. The checklist consist of an oral confirmation for surgical teams of the completion of basic steps for delivery of anesthesia, prophylaxis against infection and other other essential practises for safe surgery. The list is divided in three parts before anestheisa, before incission and before the patient is taken out of the room. The checklist is inspired by crew resource managment in high safety enterprises like aviation.

Company or developer:

World Health organisation, WHO

Reason for database entry:

Low-tech high-impact prosedural invention for safe surgery

Technology - stage in early warning process:

Assessment in progress

Technology - stage of development:

Established

Licensing, reimbursement and other approval:

Not applicable, the checklist and implementation protocol is downloadable by WHO

Technology - type(s):

Procedure

Technology - use(s):

Preventative

Patient Indication & Setting

Patient indications:

All patients submitted for sugical procedures

Disease description and associated mortality and morbidity:

WHO estimates approximately 234 million operations yearly on a worldwide basis. Mortality and complications rates are supposed to be high and in many cases preventable.

Number of Patients:

234 million patients yearly world wide

Technology - specialities(s):

Respiratory disease & thoracic surgery, Renal disease & urology, Orthopaedics, rheumatology & podiatry, Neurology & neurosurgery, Gynaecology, women's sexual health, benign breast disease, Emergency care, Cardiovascular disease & vascular surgery, Anaesthetics, pain relief, ITU

Technology - setting(s):

General hospital and ambulatory care, Specialist hospital

Setting - further information:

 

Impact

Alternative and/or complementary technology:

 

Current Technology:

 

Health Impact:

 

Diffusion:

 

Cost, infrastructure and economic consequences:

 

Ethical, social, legal, political and cultural impact:

 

Evidence & Policy

Clinical evidence and safety:

The use of the WHO checklist is per october 2009 only reported in one cross sectional post and pre intervention study involving eight hospitals and 3733 consecutelively enrolled patients over the age of 16 years.

The study reports significat reduction in mortality and complication based on figures from four public hospitals in low or middle income countries, and significat reduction of complications in four public hospitals in high income countris.

There are no reports on improvement in safety for specific surgical procedures, and except for death, pneumonia, unplanned return to the operating room and surgical site infections complications are not individually reported.Except for death the choice of complications to be reported individually were not prospectively mentioned.

Economic evaluation:

The implementation of the checklist is anticipated to be of low cost, no evaluation has been made.

Ongoing research:

 

Ongoing or planned HTA:

 

Web link:

 

References and sources:

 

Notes: