For decades, standardization has been implemented effectively in high reliability and safety critical industries such as aviation. Applied to any task or procedure, standardization reduces variation and ensures uniform performance by individuals throughout an organization. When critical tasks are performed the same way every time, humans commit fewer errors, especially when fatigued or stressed.
The Institute of Medicine’s publication To Err is Human revealed that medical errors occur at an alarming rate and that human factors, such as failure to provide prophylactic treatment or administration of an incorrect medication, are at the root of many adverse events.[1] Standardization in health care aims to reduce or eliminate such errors, and a growing body of evidence shows benefits, including increased patient safety, more consistent outcomes, improved efficiency, and reduced waste. The specialty of anesthesia was one of the earliest to adopt tools such as checklists and protocols, and other specialties subsequently followed suit, leading to widespread use of surgical safety checklists and time-out procedures. OB/GYN hospitalists are well positioned to advocate for the implementation of these and other tools to standardize care on labor and delivery units.
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