The American Heart Association recently released a Scientific Statement regarding Patient Safety in the Cardiac Operating Room, co-authored by MUSC's own John Ikonomidis and Jake Abernathy. This 31 page comprehensive document reviews teamwork, communication, physical environment, and culture of safety. Among the recommendations:

• Surgical checklists should be implemented in all cases, and postoperative debriefings should be encouraged;
• Team training should involve all members of the OR team;
• Formal handoff protocols should be implemented;
• Institutional policies that define disruptive behavior in medical professionals should be implemented.

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