Perioperative complications remain a major concern in surgery. Regularly reviewing common safety steps can greatly reduce both morbidity and mortality. To promote safer practices, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the use of surgical safety checklists, which have proven to make a real difference when used correctly. Why Checklists Matter Surgical complications cause not only physical and emotional suffering to patients and families but also increase the burden on healthcare systems.
Many of these complications are preventable. A well-structured checklist can help the surgical team avoid common errors that affect patient outcomes. Checklists can take several forms : Read-and-do lists for equipment checks Challenge–response lists to confirm that each step is completed Team briefings or debriefings to ensure everyone is on the same page They highlight critical safety items…
