Development, implementation and impact of simple patient safety interventions in a university teaching hospital

Reduction of Surgical Complications in Dogs and Cats by the Use of a Surgical Safety Checklist

“…Subsequent studies further support this finding . A recent study showed the implementation of four simple interventions before anesthesia at a veterinary university teaching hospital was associated with a significant decrease in breaches of anesthesia safety . No corresponding evidence is available in the setting of small animal surgery.…”

“…No corresponding evidence is available in the setting of small animal surgery. Given the positive impact observed in people, the introduction of a checklist could improve the safety of veterinary surgery …”

The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ 2016 Veterinary Medical Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Programs

“…Medical records can be designed to serve as checklists to prompt actions, confirm completion of tasks, and ensure accurate documentation. [260][261][262] Numerous studies [263][264][265] have demonstrated that regular use of customized checklists enhances compliance with standard operating procedures, avoids mistakes, and improves patient outcomes. The use of computerized records may further improve patient care and safety by facilitating analysis of trends in patient outcomes.…”

Barking up the wrong tree: Would international guidelines improve safety in equine anaesthesia?

“…Advocates of clinical guidance point to evidence that guidelines have improved patient outcomes in human medicine and checklists have improved safety in human anaesthesia and surgery . Indeed, there are recent examples of guidelines and checklists improving safety from small animal anaesthesia . There is also evidence that implementation of checklists improves nontechnical skills such as team communication and empowerment of junior/nursing staff to verbalise concerns in theatre .…”

“…The nature of most equine practices (small‐ to medium‐sized private businesses) in comparison with human healthcare institutions provides opportunities. While resources may be comparatively limited, the flexibility of smaller enterprises to introduce adaptive changes means that if there is a real desire within any practice to attempt to improve outcomes in equine anaesthesia and surgery, locally instigated reviews of adverse outcomes (such as morbidity and mortality rounds or CIR), may identify problem areas and introduce local guidelines and checks to improve safety, as has already been reported in 2 small animal institutions . If we are honest, most equine practice members could also improve their nontechnical skills as well as their attitudes to safe surgery but, once again, the relatively small size of equine practices should make it easier for leadership to instigate such changes.…”