For over 45 years, Jeff Cooper, PhD, has worked to improve patient safety in numerous ways. In more recent decades, his focus has been on improving teamwork in the operating room.  Dr. Cooper’s most recent publication, “Critical Role of the Surgeon–Anesthesiologist Relationship for Patient Safety,” was just published online first. The importance of it is evidenced by the highly unusual simultaneous publication in two journals, Anesthesiology and The Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Cooper, founder and Executive Director emeritus of the Center for Medical Simulation (CMS), discussed the article with his protégé and successor, Jenny Rudolph, PhD, Executive Director of CMS.

The abstract for “Critical Role of the Surgeon–Anesthesiologist Relationship for Patient Safety” can be read online at:

http://anesthesiology.pubs.asahq.org/article.aspx?articleid=2695026

https://www.journalacs.org/article/S1072-7515(18)30435-6/fulltext

References:

Lingard  LEspin  SRubin  B  et al.  Getting teams to talk: development and pilot implementation of a checklist to promote interprofessional communication in the OR.  Qual Saf Health Care 2005;14 (5) 340- 346

Lingard  LRegehr  GEspin  SWhyte  S A theory-based instrument to evaluate team communication in the operating room: balancing measurement authenticity and reliability.  Qual Saf Health Care 2006;15 (6) 422- 426

Lingard  LWhyte  SEspin  SBaker  GROrser  BDoran  D Towards safer interprofessional communication: constructing a model of “utility” from preoperative team briefings.  J Interprof Care 2006;20 (5) 471- 483

Smith, Diana McLain. Divide or Conquer: How Great Teams Turn Conflict into Strength. Portfolio, 2008.