Surgical Safety Checklist

Building on the government’s patient safety indicator initiative, The Ottawa Hospital is reporting on its surgical safety checklist compliance.

The surgical safety checklist is a one-page tool that outlines the tools used and most common tasks that operating teams carry out. Research shows that using checklists reduces rates of death and complications among patients. Surgical teams must discuss the safety checklist at three key times:

1. Before the patient is given anesthesia with all team members present.
2. Before skin incision.
3. While all team members are present before closing the patient.

The Ottawa Hospital has been performing surgical safety checklists since 2005, but has been using the formal list mandated by the province since June 2009. By implementing the new surgical safety checklist, The Ottawa Hospital will improve overall patient safety, teamwork and communication, and elevate surgical teams to an even higher standard of performance.

The dedicated health professionals who work at The Ottawa Hospital are committed to providing the best possible care to patients, and they believe that a public reporting regime will inspire improved performance, enhance patient safety and strengthen the public’s confidence.

Surgical Safety Checklists Public Reporting

Ongoing monitoring and support of the surgical safety checklist process is essential to ensuring proper adherence. All Ontario hospitals that perform surgeries are required to report on their use of the surgical safety checklist to the Ontario government and to the public.