HEROISM AND CHECKLISTS.

HEROISM AND CHECKLISTS. I have posted before on an article by Dr. Atul Gutwande on the movement to encourage checklists in hospitals. Dr. Gutwande suggested that medicine does not make much use of checklists because it is inconsistent with an emphasis on brilliance and academic accomplishment. The Financial Times on February 10 had an article on doctors and checklists which began with the story of Captain Chesley Sullenberger landing his airplane successfully in the Hudson River. The story asked “But what about the role of his co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles and his checklist?” When the emergency arose, the captain took over flying the plane and the co-pilot went through the checklists for emergency engine failure and water-ditching. The article points out that checklists are especially valuable when critical decisions must be made under pressure. It goes on to review some of the examples of lives being saved when the use of checklists is adopted.