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Review
. 2022 Feb 8;16(1):8.
doi: 10.1186/s13037-022-00317-w.

The role of teamwork and non-technical skills for improving emergency surgical outcomes: an international perspective

Affiliations
Review

The role of teamwork and non-technical skills for improving emergency surgical outcomes: an international perspective

Philip F Stahel et al. Patient Saf Surg. .

Abstract

The assurance of patient safety in emergency general surgery remains challenging due to the patients' high-risk underlying conditions and the wide variability in emergency surgical care provided around the globe. The authors of this article convened as an expert panel on patient safety in surgery at the 8th International Conference of the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) in Edinburgh, Scotland, on September 7-10, 2021. This review article represents the proceedings from the expert panel discussions at the WSES congress and was designed to provide an international perspective on optimizing teamwork and non-technical skills in emergency general surgery.

Keywords: Emergency general surgery; Non-technical skills; Patient safety in surgery; Surgeon-related factors; Teamwork.

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Conflict of interest statement

The first author (P.F.S.) is employed by HCA Healthcare. The views expressed in this editorial exclusively represent the authors’ personal perspective and do not necessarily represent official views of HCA Healthcare or any of its affiliated entities. The authors declare no other conflicts of interest related to this review article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic depiction of the “Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety” (SEIPS) model 2.0. Modified from [40]
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The “Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons” (NOTSS) framework. Modified from [42]
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Increased rates of complications and adverse events in patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) compared to elective surgical procedures. Modified from [49]
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Schematic summary of the content of the “Surgical Coaching for Operative Performance Enhancement” (SCOPE) program. Modified from [57]

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