Surgical Safety Checklist Compliance (SSCC)

The Surgical Safety Checklist is a one-page list of important patient safety processes / items that surgical teams discuss at three critical points in surgery with all team members present:

• The preoperative evaluation of the conscious patient prior to induction of anesthesia or “Briefing”.
• The time out immediately prior to incision or “Time Out”.
• The preparations for appropriate postoperative care prior to the patient leaving the operating room or “Debriefing”.

NBRHC is joining highly respected hospitals around the world that use the Surgical Safety Checklist. The dedicated health professionals who work in this hospital are committed to providing the best possible care to our patients. The surgical safety checklist helps ensure that important safety steps are followed for each and every operation.

Well designed checklists incorporate key principles such as: less reliance on memory, standardization of process, and better access to information and feedback. Checklists help confirm that no crucial items are overlooked, all equipment is available, the operative plan is shared, variations in routine procedure are made apparent to everyone, and that everyone is aware of how the case is expected to proceed.

Several studies show that the use of checklists can improve health outcomes for patients receiving surgical interventions.

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has mandated the use of surgical safety checklists and publicly reporting their use as another useful step in helping hospitals monitor and improve their quality and patient safety efforts.