By: Henry Jennings III, MD, FSCAI and Michael Kutcher, MD, FSCAI
The pre-procedure “time out” is a standard of practice for cardiac cath labs and a requirement from The Joint Commission. To take this concept a step further, interventional attendings may look for opportunities to have a “post-procedure time out and debriefing” with the cath lab staff immediately after complex procedures or those with complications. In a short, focused huddle, the attending can discuss the rationale for a particular strategy and invite input from the cath lab staff. The “who, where, why, and when” of a particular case can be reviewed and steps taken for a more comprehensive review later, if necessary. This “post-procedure debriefing” can be a powerful format for quality improvement. In addition, it will engender a team approach to better problem solving and communication.
The SCAI-QIT team has developed the attached slide deck to outline certain settings and issues for the “post-procedure debriefing”. We invite you to access the deck here.
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