title: The Gap between Individual Perception and Compliance: A Qualitative Follow-Up Study of the Surgical Safety Checklist Application.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  "The Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) is important, but we don't use it adequately" is a well-suited statement that reflects the SSC's application in hospitals. Our aim was to follow up on our initial study on compliance (2014) by analysing differences between individual perception and compliance with the SSC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a follow-up online survey to assess healthcare professionals' individual perception of, as well as satisfaction and compliance with the SSC three years following its thorough implementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  171 (19.5%) of 875 operating team members completed the online survey. 99.4% confirmed using the SSC. Self-estimated subjective knowledge about the intention of the checklist was high, whereas objective knowledge was moderate, but improved as compared to 2014. According to an independent audit the SSC was used in 93.1% of all operations and among the SSCs used the completion rate was 57.2%. The use of the SSC was rated as rather easy [median (IQR): 7 (6-7)], familiar [7 (6-7)], generally important [7 (7-7)], and good for patients [7 (6-7)] as well as for employees [7 (7-7)]. Only comfort of use was rated lower [6 (5-7)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a gap between individual perception and actual application of the SSC. Despite healthcare professionals confirming the importance of the SSC, compliance was moderate. The introduction of SSCs in the health care sector remains a constant challenge and requires continuous re-evaluation as well as a sensible integration into existing workflows in hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Executive Department for Quality and Risk Management, University Hospital Graz, Graz, Austria.|Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.|Research Unit for Safety in Health, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sendlhofer
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: David Benjamin
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Lumenta
authors.affiliation: Executive Department for Quality and Risk Management, University Hospital Graz, Graz, Austria.|Research Unit for Safety in Health, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Leitgeb
authors.affiliation: Executive Department for Quality and Risk Management, University Hospital Graz, Graz, Austria.|Research Unit for Safety in Health, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kober
authors.affiliation: Executive Department for Quality and Risk Management, University Hospital Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jantscher
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schanbacher
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berghold
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pregartner
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tax
authors.affiliation: Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.|Research Unit for Safety in Health, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Lars Peter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Kamolz
mesh_terms: D057189:Checklist; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires