IMPACT OF INTRAOPERATIVE TEAM COMMUNICATION ON SURGICAL OUTCOME AND ERROR PREVENTION IN TERTIARY CARE OF MULTAN HOSPITALS

Abstract

Communication at the surgical team level is important in the safety of patients and the delivery of the best surgical results. This research was aimed at evaluation of intraoperative communication practices, and their impact on the prevention of errors and the general surgery performance. Also, it aimed at determining the major obstacles that prevent proper communication in the operating theatre (OT). The existing literature has linked communication breakdowns at the surgical location with the higher rates of medical errors, after-effect of surgeries, and poor patient outcomes. To explore all these variables, a quantitative cross-sectional study was designed, aiming at 120 OT professionals, such as technicians, nurses, and surgeons. The structured questionnaire was utilized to gather the data based on the earlier-validated tools of study touching on surgical communication. The questionnaire involved five large areas of interest, including demographic characteristics, intraoperative communication practices, communication barriers, communication outcomes, and a contribution of communication to prevent the occurrence of errors. Analysis of the data has been done with the SPSS version 26. The descriptive statistics were used to describe the characteristics of the participants and patterns of communication. Relationships among variables were investigated by use of the inferential statistical techniques, such as the Pearons correlation, Chi-square tests, and linear regression analysis. The statistical significance was stipulated p < 0.05. The results showed that most of the communication practices in the operating theatre were usually favorable especially in areas touching on the practices of teamwork and verbal clarity. The degree of communication and the prevention of error had a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.32, p < 0.001), whereas the quality of communication and its outcome in surgery were connected with a very strong positive correlation (r = 0.87, p < 0.001). Moreover, Chi-square analysis revealed statistically significant correlations in 21 of 25 combinations of variables, and it supports the relationship between effective communication and the low occurrence of surgical errors. According to the results, effective intraoperative communication not only helps to increase positive surgical outcomes but is also vital in reducing preventable errors. Nevertheless, even now, a number of nagging issues are still experienced when it comes to team communication such as time crunch, hierarchies within surgical teams, lack of formal training in communication, and distractions in the environment. The research suggests reinforcement of the structured communication systems including the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist and SBAR (Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation) protocol as well as their regular training as a multidisciplinary team and a culture of respectful open communication. The findings are maintaining collaborative information to the current international literature and make the way of effective local evidence in support of communication-oriented safety interventions in surgery practice.