What can surgery learn from other high-performance disciplines?

Abstract

High-performance disciplines have always been concerned with safety and exceptional performance. They have established a culture of vigilance and accepted that human error is both inevitable and ubiquitous. These disciplines, therefore, have all implemented a 'systems approach' to error by focusing on predicting, preventing, rescuing and reporting errors that occur so that they can constantly adapt and improve. Given the complexity of surgery, and the error-prone environment within which it takes place, extracting positive behaviours from other high-performance disciplines will serve to improve performance and enhance patient safety. Surgery is being practiced in an ever-changing environment. Currently, there is less available operative experience for surgical trainees; multi-morbidity in patients is growing and rapidly evolving technology means that more high-tech equipment is being used in procedures. This article evaluates the effectiveness of current surgical protocol in reducing errors and possible modifications that can be made to fit the new environment that surgery is now being practiced in. It will then describe how three different high-performance disciplines: aviation, professional sport and Formula 1, have developed in their approaches to safety and excellence, which will serve as the basis for a discussion about what more can be learnt from these disciplines so that the surgical profession can continue to excel in the face of change.

The use of educational technology for interactive teaching in lectures

“…Educational technology has revolutionized the delivery and impact of education [ 49 ]. Examples of some of the educational technology tools that are widely used are: web-conferencing or webinars, video lecture capture technology (VLCT) for asynchronous activities, Course Management Systems (CMS) or platforms to organize the course interactions, wikis as a collaborative work to simulate group work, podcasting (a digital audio file shared via the web), real simple syndication (RSS) (system for distributing content from an online publisher to subscribed users), simulation in training, and digital learning objects (collection of digital content, including practice and assessment items combined into a single learning object) [ [48] , [49] , [50] ]. Polling and various quiz platforms became easily and efficiently used in lecture and other educational activities.…”

The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Surgery

“…AI will help evaluate who might make the better transplant candidate [ 70 ], how best to assign operating room block time to derive higher productivity from the operating rooms [ 71 ], better anticipate bed availability [ 72 ], and schedule staff [ 73 ] and surgical inventory [ 74 ] to extract additional efficiency and quicker room turnover [ 75 ]. AI will also be able to handpick the best surgeons for each kind of procedure, the ones with the greatest experience, the shrewdest judgment, and the best outcomes [ 76 ].…”

Protocol for a scoping review on ‘surgical sabermetrics:’ technology-enhanced measurement of operative non-technical skills

“…Surgery is a high-performing field with surgeons striving for exceptional performance, focusing on patient safety and good outcomes. 1 Surgery is a complex, dynamic sociotechnical process that requires the synchronisation of multiple cognitive and physical processes and the coordination of multiple technical and non-technical skills (NTS), all while interacting with tools and technology and responding to changes in the current situation. This dynamic field demands both physical and mental effort, with high demand on concentration and the ability to react and adapt to quick, unexpected changes.…”