Standardized Care Pathways as a Means to Improve Patient Safety

Elizabeth Lancaster; Elizabeth Wick

doi:10.1016/j.suc.2020.08.011

Standardized Care Pathways as a Means to Improve Patient Safety

Surg Clin North Am. 2021 Feb;101(1):49-56. doi: 10.1016/j.suc.2020.08.011. Epub 2020 Nov 2.

Authors

Elizabeth Lancaster¹, Elizabeth Wick²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Surgery, University of California, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-321, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
² Department of Surgery, University of California, 513 Parnassus Avenue, S-321, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. Electronic address: Elizabeth.wick@ucsf.edu.

PMID: 33212079
DOI: 10.1016/j.suc.2020.08.011

Abstract

The literature overwhelmingly supports standardized, evidence-based care to improve patient safety in the surgical setting, including checklists and enhanced recovery programs. Although local culture, patient complexity, and hospital setting can represent barriers to implanting standardized practices, they can be overcome with thoughtful strategies.

Keywords: Checklist; Enhanced recovery; Quality; Safety; Standardization.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Critical Pathways / standards*
Humans
Patient Safety / standards*
Surgical Procedures, Operative / standards*