Flight Crews, Surgical Staffs Have Similar Dynamics
For many years it was common that the captain of an
aircraft was never questioned by his crew -- and many airplanes
went down when a simple cross-check might have averted disaster.
Now, the principle of Crew Resource Management (CRM) is considered
one of the best techniques to reduce pilot error -- and the medical
health field has taken notice.
It's no wonder that many midair collisions happen while one
airplane's crew is engaged in dual IFR instruction, or that so many
CFIs fail to catch a forgotten landing gear extension until the
belly hits the pavement.
"The trend is not surprising given the similarities between
health care and aviation. Both involve hours of boredom punctuated
by moments of sheer terror."
Source: Dr. David M. Gaba, a dean at the
Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, CA, commenting
on a growing industry of pilots and aviation experts consulting
with hospitals and surgical centers, to apply the same crew
resource management (CRM) techniques used in aviation safety to the
operating room.
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