Postoperative Checklist for Hospital Care

Failure to optimize the management of patients who suffer postoperative morbidity may result in poorer surgical outcomes. Checklist use resulted in significantly improved standardization, evidence-based management of postoperative complications, and quality of ward rounds.

Simulation-based piloting aided appropriate use of checklists and staff engagement. Checklists represent a low-cost intervention to reduce rates of failure to rescue and to improve patient care.