Medical Team Training in the Veterans Health Administration: Checklist Guided Preoperative Briefings and Postoperative De briefings

Ninety-eight percent of facilities were routinely briefing operative cases 12 months following the learning session. Positive changes following checklist-guided briefings included higher patient safety and teamwork scores on surveys, better compliance with antibiotic prophylaxis, improved morale as evidenced by decreased nursing turnover, and improved efficiency. Preliminary analysis also suggests decreased surgical morbidity and mortality.