A roadmap to safe surgical care: a view from Pennsylvania

An effort to make operations safe is realistic if surgeons are committed. Such an effort involves educating surgeons about safe practices based on current knowledge of best practices, including team training and talking to patients. It involves identifying leaders and developing appropriate infrastructure for academic activities. It also involves the collection of information needed to identify safe and unsafe situations. The potential advantages of a drive for safe surgery should be fewer complications, less care per patient, lower costs, and less liability.