Key result
The comprehensive application of the safety hierarchy model in anaesthesia has significantly reduced mortality, but future improvements require addressing teamwork and communication.
The safety hierarchy model used in anaesthesia has significantly reduced mortality and serves as a framework for other medical specialties to improve patient safety, though teamwork and communication remain ongoing challenges.
Supports safety hierarchies in other specialties; leaves open optimal teamwork interventions.
Avoiding iatrogenic adverse outcomes and providing safe care to patients is a priority in modern healthcare systems. Because anaesthetic practice is inherently risky, the specialty has developed a broad range of strategies to minimise human error and risk for patients. These are part of a hierarchical model developed by industrial safety experts to minimise risk. It is known as the safety hierarchy model. This review will describe the use of this model in anaesthesia and show why the specialty is often cited as a role model for patient safety improvement. It will also explore the extension of the model to other specialties and analyse its intrinsic limitations due to new challenges to patient safety: teamwork and communication issues. These will conclude the review.
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Guy Haller (2013) conducted a review in Patient safety and medical errors. Safety hierarchy model and risk management strategies was evaluated. The comprehensive application of the safety hierarchy model in anaesthesia has significantly reduced mortality, but future improvements require addressing teamwork and communication.
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