Evolution of Patient Safety in Surgery

Abstract

Medicine since its inception has continued to evolve. The past few decades have seen many specialties branching out. This is been to the increasingly complex nature of the field consequent to advances in technology and understanding of the human body. In addition to advancing technology, there is a relatively recent focus on safety. Studies have shown that there are a significant number of errors with serious consequences that occur among surgical patients. Many of these errors are preventable. Several factors play a role which includes nontechnical aspects such as human factors. This is most evident in high-pressure complex situations such as an operating theatre. This prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to take up global patient safety challenges. With the motto of “Safe Surgery saves lives,” the WHO has undertaken numerous regional and global initiatives to improve patient safety and pioneered the implementation of the surgical safety checklist. Patient safety has evolved as an important part of surgical practice. This article presents a brief narrative of the development of patient safety in the surgery, its expansion, and future direction.