Introduction: Safety Surgery CheckList (SSCL) is a support tool for operating teams, used to carry out safety checks while also encouraging compliance with the implementation of recommended quality and safety standards. In Emilia-Romagna it was deemed appropriate to check actual surgical team compliance with correct checklist application in the operating theatre, through a project called "OssERvare".
Methods: Direct observation was identified as the preferred inspection method. With the use of special report sheets, observers proceeded with the guided observation of behaviour in the operating room, recording any inconsistencies with correct SSCL use methods. The project began in January 2017 and all observations were carried out from 1st January-15th April 2017.
Results: In 43% of observed operation sign in, all three team members were not present, whereas in 7% of observed cases, sign out was not carried out. All three team members were present in 88% of observed operation time out. There are two evidently critical phases: sign in and sign out. Results obtained for time out were better.
Discussion and conclusion: Compliance data collected from observations differed markedly from reported compliance in administrative flow records. The results of the observational study indicate that the SSCL is not properly filled in many times; there is also a great possibility to improve the correct use of this tool. In conclusion, we think that the combined approach of use of administrative data and assessing compliance appeared to be a useful instrument to investigate the implementation and to promote the real utilization of safety tools such as the SSCL.