Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Surgical Checklist in Medicare Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Surgical checklists are increasingly used to improve compliance with evidence-based processes in the perioperative period. Although enthusiasm exists for using checklists to improve outcomes, recent studies have questioned their effectiveness in large populations.

Objective

We sought to examine the association of Keystone Surgery, a statewide implementation of an evidence-based checklist and Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program, on surgical outcomes and health care costs.

Methods

We performed a study using national Medicare claims data for patients undergoing general and vascular surgery (n=1,002,241) from 2006 to 2011. A difference-in-differences approach was used to evaluate whether implementation was associated with improved surgical outcomes and decr

SUBMITTER: Reames BN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4262562 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature