Briefing guide study: preoperative briefing and postoperative debriefing checklists in the Veterans Health Administration medical team training program.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes of checklist-driven preoperative briefings and postoperative debriefings during the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical team training program.


METHODS
A briefing score (1, never started; 2, started then discontinued; 3, maintained on original targeted cases; 4, expanded to other services; 5, briefing all cases, all services) was established at 10.1 ± .3 months after introduction of the checklist. Outcomes included antibiotic and deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis compliance rates before and after use of the checklist.


RESULTS
Antibiotic (97.0% ± .1% vs 92.1% ± 1.5%; P = .01) and deep venous thrombosis (95.7% ± .8% vs 85.1% ± 4.6%; P = .05) prophylaxis compliance rates were higher after initiation of a surgical checklist.


CONCLUSIONS
Checklist-driven preoperative briefings and postoperative debriefings are associated with improvements in patient safety for surgical patients.
National Center for Patient Safety, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0486, USA. douglas.paull@va.gov
Douglas E
DE
Paull
Lisa M
LM
Mazzia
Scott D
SD
Wood
Max S
MS
Theis
Lori D
LD
Robinson
Brian
B
Carney
Julia
J
Neily
Peter D
PD
Mills
James P
JP
Bagian
D057189:Checklist; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D009872:Operating Room Technicians / Q000193:education; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D016730:Program Development; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D058014:Veterans Health; D000078329:Workforce