Abstract

Background: Effective teamwork is highly reliant on both technical and non-technical skills (such as communication, decision making and situational awareness). In healthcare, the role of non-technical skills fails to take priority and can hinder a team’s performance.

Methods: Our objective was to determine the effectiveness and efficacy of delivering a full-day professional development symposium focused on communication strategies and culture building to the operating room staff at a hospital with over 250 acute beds. A prospective, observational cohort study including all members of the operating room was designed. Improvement was measured through an anonymous, voluntary, web-based survey and surrogate metrics of improved communication and positive work culture (staff turnover, sick days and spending).

Results: 82 participants completed at least one survey. At three months post-symposium, more than 60% of participants noticed that their colleagues made active efforts to communicate positively and effectively in their interactions (p = 0.009). At this same interval, staff reported a reduction in common challenges routinely encountered in the operating room. Sick days fell from 622 in the year preceding the symposium to 218 in the year following the symposium. Staff turnover fell from nine to two in that same interval while OR spending was reduced by 4.2%.

Interpretation: Results from our cohort suggest that a focused, professional development symposium with emphasis on communication strategies may improve operating room culture and yield both cost savings and improved patient care. More quality-controlled research with a rigorous study design is needed to assess the impact of communication training in an OR setting.

Key words: professional development, communication strategies, surgical teams, operating rooms