[Learning from aviation - how to increase patient safety in surgery]

Area of Science:

• Medicine
• Aviation Safety
• Surgical Patient Safety

Context:

• Surgery shares similarities with aviation, including high physical and mental pressure for professionals.
• Patient safety in medicine can be improved by adopting strategies from aviation.
• High-pressure environments in surgery necessitate robust safety protocols.

Purpose:

• To explore the application of aviation safety instruments in enhancing surgical patient safety.
• To identify specific aviation safety strategies that can be implemented in medical settings.
• To assess the potential of aviation-derived tools for improving surgical outcomes.

Summary:

• Aviation safety principles, such as "root cause" accident research via morbidity and mortality conferences and critical incident reporting systems (CIRS), can be applied to surgery.
• Standard operating procedures ensure a uniform mental model among surgical team members, mirroring aviation practices.
• Crew resource management, a strategy emphasizing teamwork and communication, is highly applicable to surgical environments.

Impact:

• Implementing aviation safety instruments in surgery has the potential to significantly increase patient safety.
• Adoption of these safety measures can lead to improved surgical outcomes and reduced medical errors.
• Proper employment of these strategies can foster a culture of safety within surgical teams.