All surgical procedures have a risk of complications, many of which cannot be avoided completely regardless of the experience and expertise of the surgeon, the surgical team, or the hospital staff. Wrong-site surgery is a relatively uncommon complication that is easily preventable. The Sign Your Site protocol is a simple, straightforward program that requires only a minimal amount of time to eliminate the risk of wrong-site surgery, and it should be standard policy in healthcare institutions.
From the University of Tennessee-Campbell Clinic, Memphis, TN.
The author certifies that he has no commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.
Correspondence to: S. Terry Canale, MD, Campbell Foundation, Editorial Department, 1211 Union Avenue, Suite 510, Memphis, TN 38104. Phone: 901-759-3270; Fax: 901-759-3278; E-mail: kdaugherty@utmem.edu.
