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Checklists have become incorporated into a myriad of clinical settings since the demonstration of decreased morbidity and mortality with their use in the operating room (NEJM JW Gen Med Mar 1 2009 and N Engl J Med 2009; 360:491). Many intensive care units (ICUs) have adopted checklists as part of daily interdisciplinary rounds as a means to address quality metrics; however, whether checklists make a difference is unclear.
Investigators in Brazil randomized 118 ICUs to either routine care or implementation of interdisciplinary rounds with quality-improvement checklists (mean duration of intervention, 5 months). Metrics on the checklist included venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, removal of unnecessary central venous or urinary catheters, opt…