Appendix C. Addressing Physician Concerns With the Checklist - Implementation Guide
| Common Concern | Response | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| “I'm already safe, and I don't need to use a tool like the checklist.” | “You are safe, but we think that something like this tool can help make the entire center better. Is there anybody else in your center that doesn't have quite that same attitude towards safety that you do?” | Asking if someone else could use the tool avoids the appearance that you are implying the person is not safe. |
| “There isn't time to do this.” | “The checklist can actually make the process more efficient and save time.” | Emphasize that the use of the checklist can actually make processes more efficient. Consistent briefings and proactive information sharing will make the place run more smoothly. |
| “I need to stay focused and the checklist is a distraction.” | “The checklist helps everyone in the room to focus on the same patient, the same point, and the same plan to ensure the best outcome, both in terms of efficiency and safety for the patient.” | The checklist is a way for every member of the team to be focused, including the surgeon, and to make sure that those focuses are aligned in the same direction. If each person is focused individually, yet that focal point differs from the person next to him or her, everyone sees a slightly different picture. It is very hard to arrive at the same destination if everyone is looking at different places. |
| “My team knows what I want without having to ask for it.” | “The checklist is a great way of standardizing things to make sure you do things the same way for each patient.” | Sometimes fixed teams can become complacent, which creates opportunities for error. By standardizing procedures with the checklist, you can make sure the team is doing the same thing for every patient, every time. |
| “There is no evidence that the checklist works in ambulatory surgery centers. So, why do I have to use it?” | “The evidence is mounting with study after study showing the use of checklists makes a difference in patient safety in all health care settings. Surgery is surgery. It's complicated, and it puts patients at risk. The burden really is on all of us, whether we practice in an ambulatory surgery center or in a tertiary medical center, to keep the patient as safe as possible.” | Compromising patient safety is not acceptable. The checklist drives us towards zero harm by better communication and teamwork within our facilities. |
