Data from a study published online in the journal Annals of Surgery suggest that implementation of a checklist-based surgical quality improvement program may reduce mortality following inpatient surgery. 

The authors drew information from a state-wide all-payer discharge claims database to compare 30-day postoperative mortality rates after inpatient surgery. Overall, 14 hospitals completed participation in a voluntary checklist-based quality program. The authors found that the risk-adjusted 30-day mortality among completers was 3.38 percent in 2010 and 2.84 percent in 2013, compared to other hospitals (n = 44) in which 30-day mortality was 3.50 percent in 2010 and 3.71 percent in 2013. Learn more...