State of the huddle: The barriers to and benefits of preop meetings

Complex problems do not always require complex solutions. Consider the surgical safety checklist. In 2020, more than a decade after the World Health Organization (WHO) started advocating that every hospital use the checklist, research from PSNET found that more than 90% of ORs in countries with a high human development index (HDI, a statistical composite index of life expectancy, education, and per capita income) had implemented it. They did so for good reason. As detailed in the AORN Journal, extensive research shows this simple tool can break down OR hierarchies, improve communication, and otherwise help surgical teams provide safer care.