Compliance with the Surgery Safety Checklist: An Update on the Status

WHO has recommended the implementation of the Surgery Safety Checklist (SSC) to reign in often simple logistic errors that lead to numerous complications, some of them being fatal, in the perioperative period. This study aims to discuss doubts presented in the medical literature concerning the effectiveness of SSC in the currently existing form. The article is based on the literature search performed in PubMed using the command phrase "Surgery Safety Checklist". The search yielded 1,476 articles up to March 2021. Out of this group, we selected 811 articles for further detailed analysis. The selection was based on the meritorious SSC-related topicality and scrutinized content of the articles. Out of these articles, we identified 59 studies that specifically raised the issue of the effectiveness of SSC use in its current form, which we discussed herein in detail. The review distinctly indicates that the SSC reduces perioperative complications including fatalities. However, there are issues reported with the itemized content of the checklist that hardly correspond to the diverseness of patients' conditions and operating room settings. Further, it is unclear if a reduction in the complications stems from the use of SSC or the algorithms for performing procedures it contains. The consensus arises that SSC should be periodically updated so that it would catch up with the advances in medical knowledge and the emerging technologies, which would safeguard the SSC from becoming just another paperwork nuisance for the operating room staff.