Wrong-Site Surgery

Since the inception of the adverse health event reporting system, surgical events have been among the most commonly reported adverse events. Since 2003, over 200 instances of wrong site, procedure, or patient surgeries and retained foreign objects have been reported to MDH.

Many partners in Minnesota, including the Minnesota Department of Health, the Minnesota Hospital Association, the University of Minnesota, and individual hospitals and surgical centers, are working together to minimize the risk of surgical adverse events through focused research and interventions. Recommendations, results, and resources are below.

Surgical adverse events

• Fact sheet: Time-out process in Minnesota (PDF)
• Safe Surgery Process Steps (including the Minnesota Time Out) to Prevent Wrong Surgery (PDF)
• Minnesota Hospital Association patient safety
• Basic training framework for implementing MDH/MHA time-out recommendations (PDF)