Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
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Ann R Coll Surg Engl · Nov 2015
Multicenter StudyLitigation costs of wrong-site surgery and other non-technical errors in orthopaedic operating theatres.
This study reviews the litigation costs of avoidable errors in orthopaedic operating theatres (OOTs) in England and Wales from 1995 to 2010 using the National Health Service Litigation Authority Database. ⋯ Improved patient-safety strategies such as the World Health Organization Surgical Checklist may be responsible for the recent reduction in prevalence of litigation for NTEs. However, addition of a specific feature in orthopaedic surgery, an 'implant time-out' could translate into a cost benefit for National Health Service hospital trusts and improve patient safety.