title: Wrong-site surgery: a preventable complication.
abstract: All surgical procedures have a risk of complications, many of which cannot be avoided completely regardless of the experience and expertise of the surgeon, the surgical team, or the hospital staff. Wrong-site surgery is a relatively uncommon complication that is easily preventable. The "Sign Your Site" protocol is a simple, straightforward program that requires only a minimal amount of time to eliminate the risk of wrong-site surgery, and it should be standard policy in healthcare institutions.
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee-Campbell Clinic, 1211 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104, USA. kdaugherty@utmem.edu
authors.forename: S Terry
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Canale
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000592:standards; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management; D014481:United States