Enhancing surgical safety using digital multimedia technology

•Pilot-study of a multimedia time-out designed to improve performance.•Increased employee satisfaction.•Improved compliance with essential checklist components.•Eighty-Seven percent of respondents preferred the multimedia time out.•May reduce checkbox fatigue, improve team communication, and enhance surgical care.

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine whether incorporating digital and video multimedia components improved surgical time-out performance of a surgical safety checklist.MethodsA prospective pilot study was designed for implementation of a multimedia time-out, including a patient video. Perceptions of the staff participants were surveyed before and after intervention (Likert scale: 1, strongly disagree to 5, strongly agree).ResultsEmployee satisfaction was high for both time-out procedures. However, employees appreciated improved clarity of patient identification (P < .05) and operative laterality (P < .05) with the digital method. About 87% of the respondents preferred the digital version to the standard time-out (75% anesthesia, 89% surgeons, 93% nursing). Although the duration of time-outs increased (49 and 79 seconds for standard and digital time-outs, respectively, P > .001), there was significant improvement in performance of key safety elements.ConclusionThe multimedia time-out allows improved participation by the surgical team and is preferred to a standard time-out process.