title: Neurosurgical checklists: a growing need.
abstract: The US health care system is currently undergoing a paradigm shift from pay-for-service toward pay-for-performance reimbursement, with a focus on quality measures and patient satisfaction. An important tool gaining increasing emphasis during the quality revolution is the surgical checklist. What was once perceived as an invasion of the practitioner's integrity is now a mainstay in all operating rooms, mandated by several national organizations. Although other fields have pioneered the checklist revolution, neurosurgery is now beginning to follow suit. The authors review the available published neurosurgical checklists and their early results on patient safety.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1211 Medical Center Dr, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
authors.forename: Scott L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Dr, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: Kyle M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Fargen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, 1211 Medical Center Dr, Nashville, TN 37232, USA. Electronic address: jmocco@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mocco
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Checklist; Neurosurgery; Patient safety; Quality improvement; Time-out