Prevention training of wrong-site spine surgery

Abstract

Objective: Wrong-site surgery (WSS) is considered a sentinel event by the Joint Commission. The education of spine surgery fellows on WSS is unknown. Our objective was to evaluate North American spine surgery fellows' education, awareness, and experience with WSS.

Design: Observational survey study.

Setting: Spine surgery fellows in North America.

Participants: From April 2013 to July 2013 and in July 2014 anonymous questionnaires were sent to 156 spine surgery fellows participating in 75 programs. Demographic information (fellowship location and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accreditation of the fellowship) were collected. We also collected data on the following: if didactics on WSS are offered during fellowship, spine surgery fellows' experience with WSS, WSS prevention methods used during fellowship, and whether spine surgery fellows are interested in didactics or webinars on the prevention of WSS.

Results: Of 152 spine surgery fellows, 46 (30.3%) completed the questionnaires. Among them, 39 (84.6%) were orthopedic surgeons and 7 (15.4%) were neurosurgeons. Most were in non-Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs (70%) and were in training in the Midwest (37%), the South (30.4%), the Northeast (15.2%), and the West (15.2%). Furthermore, 30.4% had experienced WSS. Only 15 fellows (33%) had formal didactics on WSS during their fellowship. Most spine surgery fellows (61%, p = 0.03) were interested in a formal didactics on the prevention of WSS during their fellowship curriculum. Most (58.7%) were also interested in a Webinar on the prevention of WSS. We found of the 14 fellows that experienced WSS, 11 (79%) were significantly interested in formal didactics on WSS compared with those who had not experienced WSS (14/32, 44%; p < 0.02).

Conclusions: This is the first study evaluating spine surgery fellowship education on WSS. Among the spine surgery fellows, 30% had already experienced WSS and only 33% had formal fellowship didactics on WSS. Owing to the significant patient care and medicolegal ramifications from WSS, spine surgery fellowships should consider adding WSS prevention didactics to their curriculum.

Keywords: Medical Knowledge; Patient Care; Practice-Based Learning and Improvement; Wrong-site surgery; education; sentinel event; spine surgery; spine surgery fellowship.