Locating errors through networked surveillance: a multimethod approach to peer assessment, hazard identification, and prioritization of patient safety efforts in cardiac surgery.
Thompson DA, Marsteller JA, Pronovost P, et al. Locating Errors Through Networked Surveillance: A Multimethod Approach to Peer Assessment, Hazard Identification, and Prioritization of Patient Safety Efforts in Cardiac Surgery. J Patient Saf. 2015;11(3):143-51. doi:10.1097/PTS.0000000000000059.
This study describes a comprehensive approach to identifying safety hazards in a specific clinical environment, the cardiac surgery operating room, which jointly involved experts in organizational science, human factors, and clinical medicine. The authors detail the numerous methods they applied, including surveys, ethnographic direct observation, and analysis of a large database. Safety culture, teamwork and communication, infection prevention, handoffs, failure to adhere to standard practices, and environmental concerns were identified as six key hazards. This type of in-depth, multidisciplinary approach shows promise for determining and prioritizing safety approaches across various health care settings.