Purpose: Checklists are increasingly being used by surgical teams in the perioperative period to improve clinical care and increase patient safety. In this article, we review some of the mechanisms by which checklists work and evaluate evidence supporting their use.
Principal findings: There is a growing body of evidence showing the importance of team-based checklists in clinical care. In multiple complex clinical environments, from the operating room to the intensive care unit, checklists can help ensure adherence to known standards of care and improve communication amongst team members. In addition, the efficacy of checklists is being shown in both developed and developing settings.
Conclusion: Checklists can aid clinicians involved in complex processes and multidisciplinary team interactions to improve the quality and safety of care by prompting dialogue and exchange of information.