Standardization: The Way to Go in Patient Safety

Source:123RF.com

Standardization is the way to go in patient safety. Granted, this is not a novel concept but worth reiterating as we focus the lens of safety on surgical management.

The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) project, an evidence based, peri-operative management process is both championed and neatly summarized in this JAMA Surgery review by my VCU colleague, Dr. Michael Scott. 

In brief, under ERAS, implementation of a standardized peri-operative process which targets smoking cessation,peri-operative antibiotics, glucose and temperature control, removal of urinary catheters and restrictive use of surgical site drains (to name a few items), coupled with performance audits, significantly decreases length of stay, complications and cost. The trifecta of patient safety. 

Excuses for not standardizing patient safety are no longer tenable.

I will be at the SHEA Spring Meeting for the rest of the week. 

Looking forward to it, stay tuned.