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S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 4
before the patient entered the operating room. The AAOS adopted this practice
as its "Sign Your Site" program. Slicing through your initials is the most fool-
proof way to mark a site.
It doesn't matter when you
take a time out, just as long as you do so.
a.
true
b.
false
Answer:
b
When my error occurred, the time-out process wasn't standardized and safety
checks often occurred before the patient entered the OR. Now, time outs occur
just before the incision is made, with every member of the surgical team in the
room. Everyone is empowered and encouraged to speak up if something seems
amiss. This is a key point. Every member of the OR team needs to be encour-
aged to participate, to interact and be comfortable voicing their concerns when
there's a problem.
OSM
Dr. Ring (
dring @mg h.ha rva rd.edu
) is associate professor of orthopaedic surgery at
Harvard Medical School, chief of the MGH Orthopaedic Hand and Upper Extremity
Service and chair of the MGH Orthopaedic Quality and Safety Committee.
W R O N G - S I T E S U R G E R Y
