The Milbank Quarterly has published a report that defines aviation safety initiatives that can also be used in the healthcare field, to enhance patient safety and reduce costs.  The report is titled Counterheroism, Common Knowledge and Ergonomics: Concepts from Aviation That Could Improve Patient Safety.

The report discusses 15 examples of measures to reduce the possibility of aviation safety errors, which are not currently being used in the healthcare sector.  The safety initiatives that are currently being used in the field of aviation safety to reduce the possibility of crashes include the use of checklists.  Airline pilots have been using electronic checklists to tick off items that have to be completed before takeoff and while the flight is in operation.  Pilots use different types of checklists including read and do checklists, challenge and response checklists and aide memoire checklists like pre-departure briefings.  Similarly, surgical safety checklists developed by the World Health Organization can be used to enhance patient safety.

Airline pilots also routinely use a training program called Cockpit Resource Management or Crew Resource Management.  The program emphasizes the importance of using people, information and equipment in order to ensure a safe flight.  The researchers believe that a program called Threat and Error Management that is currently used in the aviation sector can be used in the healthcare sector too. 

Before every flight, commercial aircraft crews gather together for a joint safety briefing.  Arizona medical malpractice lawyers believe that these practices can be carried over into the healthcare sector, by having joint briefings before the start of clinics, ward rounds and handoffs as well as at the beginning of every day.

Besides, commercial aircraft pilots also follow sterile cockpit rules, requiring pilots and cabin crew to abstain from all non-essential talk.  Aviation safety rules also place all authority for important flight decisions with the captain.  An airline cockpit has a standardized layout, which allows pilots easy and quick access to the instrumentation controls.  Similar concepts can be used in the healthcare sector to streamline safety procedures and enhance patient safety.