The World Health Organization surgical checklist. A Compendium

Surgical patient safety remains a major and ongoing concern in healthcare systems worldwide. As part of a global initiative to reduce preventable harm, the World Health Organization introduced the Surgical Safety Checklist to help identify potential errors before they lead to sentinel events. This concept provides a fundamental and high-quality framework that promotes shared responsibility and the standardized application of safe surgical practices. Although the use of the checklist has evolved from being a widely recommended measure to an essential and well-justified requirement, adherence remains disappointingly low in many healthcare centers. The aim of our article is to briefly review the checklist process, highlight its significance, and present data to support its broader recognition and implementation.