System and method for preventing wrong-site surgeries

A method of preventing a wrong-site error during surgery, comprising:

• accessing a container having a top portion containing a first lock opening sized and shaped to receive a locking pin and a bottom portion containing a second lock opening sized and shaped to receive a locking pin, said bottom portion adapted to slidably engage said top portion whereby said top portion and said bottom portion are movable between a closed position and an open position, each said lock opening positioned within said top or bottom portion to form an overlapping orientation to receive a locking pin when in the closed position, the container defining one or more internal compartments;
• one or more surgical implements positioned within the one or more compartments, wherein the surgical implements are needed when beginning the surgical procedure;
• a lock mechanism that secures the container in the closed position, the lock mechanism comprising a locking pin having at least one portion for linearly engaging said first and second openings when said container is in the closed position;
• and a removable label including a checklist for confirming surgery-related information and one or more fields for signatures, said label positioned in front of the locking pin to prevent or impede access to at least a portion of the locking pin without first removing the label;
• verifying a correct surgical site, filling in the surgical-site information input field of the label with the surgical-site information, and filling in the signature input field of the label with the surgical team member signature, to conduct a pre-surgery assessment confirming the correct surgical site;
• removing the label from the container and saving it as a medical record for later documentation that the pre-surgery assessment confirming the correct surgical site was in fact conducted;
• opening the container and removing the at least one surgical implement;
• using the at least one surgical implement at the outset of the surgery;
• after the at least one surgical implement has been used in the surgery, storing the used at least one surgical implement in the container;
• closing the container;
• and
• disposing of the closed container with the used at least one surgical implement safely inside,
• wherein the pre-surgery assessment confirming the correct surgical site is timely conducted before opening the container, removing the at least one surgical implement, and starting the surgery with the at least one surgical implement, wherein timely conducting the presurgery assessment is prompted by the label being positioned to prevent or at least impede opening the container, and
• wherein the initial position, input fields, and removal of the label effectively accomplish the dual purposes of first forcing the prompt for the pre-surgery assessment and then second documenting that the pre-surgery assessment in fact was conducted.

A method of preventing a wrong-site error during surgery, comprising:

• accessing a container having a top portion containing a first lock opening sized and shaped to receive a locking pin and a bottom portion containing a second lock opening sized and shaped to receive a locking pin, said bottom portion adapted to slidably engage said top portion whereby said top portion and said bottom portion are movable between a closed position and an open position, each said lock opening positioned within said top or bottom portion to form an overlapping orientation to receive a locking pin when in the closed position, the container defining one or more internal compartments;
• one or more surgical implements positioned within the one or more compartments, wherein the surgical implements are needed when beginning the surgical procedure;
• a lock mechanism that secures the container in the closed position, the lock mechanism comprising a locking pin having at least one portion for linearly engaging said first and second openings when said container is in the closed position;
• and a removable label including a checklist for confirming surgery-related information and one or more fields for signatures, said label positioned in front of the locking pin to prevent or impede access to at least a portion of the locking pin without first removing the label;
• verifying a correct surgical site and filling in the surgical-site input information field of the label with the surgical-site information to conduct a pre-surgery assessment confirming the correct surgical site;
• removing the label from the container and saving it as a medical record for later documentation that the pre-surgery assessment confirming the correct surgical site was in fact conducted;
• opening the container and removing the at least one surgical implement;
• and using the at least one surgical implement at the outset of the surgery,
• wherein the pre-surgery assessment confirming the correct surgical site is timely conducted before opening the container, removing the at least one surgical implement, and starting the surgery with the at least one surgical implement, wherein timely conducting the presurgery assessment is prompted by being confronted with the label including the surgical site information field, and
• wherein the prompt is forced by the at least one surgical implement being required at the outset of the surgery and held within the container and by the label being positioned to prevent or at least impede opening the container so that the label must be confronted in order to remove the label from the container to open the container to access the at least one surgical implement to begin the surgery, and wherein the initial position, input field, and removal of the label effectively accomplish the dual purposes of first forcing the prompt for the pre-surgery assessment and then second documenting that the pre-surgery assessment in fact was conducted.