Remote Assessment of Surgical Safety Checklists

Researchers utilized the OR Black Box, a surgical data capture system, to evaluate surgical safety checklist performance across 7 North American academic medical centers. Their analysis of 7,243 surgical procedures revealed that most included a time-out (98.4%) and 62.3% included a debrief. These procedures often involved a majority of OR staff, with team introductions leading to more checklist items completed, higher engagement, and better focus during time-outs. This remote assessment offers valuable insights and the potential to enhance intraoperative processes.