I came across a good book by Atul Gawande, titled 'Checklist Manifesto'. It was recommended to me by a colleague. I liked the concept. It goes something like this.
A disciplined adherence to essential procedures — by ticking them off a list — can prevent corner cutting and potentially fatal mistakes. He has used checklists in aviation, construction, and investing and advises their application in medicine. He has illustrated how their use cut down infections in central lines in intensive care units.
The colleague who lent me the book said "we should adopt such checklists in our practice, to reduce our complications."
"It is a very good idea. But I see a major problem with its implementation in our setup. It is likely that our people will treat this checklist as just another bit of paperwork that is stupid, but mandatory. They will tick all items in the checklist and attach it to the case records. They might even delegate the job of putting tick marks on the checklist to the most junior Resident Doctor or Intern, without actually doing all the things that are listed in the checklist."
"..."
The colleague was probably not convinced my my statement.
"Don't you remember the vital parameter charts of patients and fetal heart rate charts in labor, already filled up in advance up to the time some nurses went off duty, and the patient was found dead or the fetus was delivered before that time? Don't you remember patients' findings entered on the indoor treatment sheets by some Resident Doctors round the clock without actually seeing the patients at times?"
"Yes" the colleague said.
"Checklists on paper have little meaning. The checklists have to be in one's head, and the drive to implement them must be from one's heart. Then they will work" I said.
