Perioperative safety: it’s time to drop our tools

Weick describes the story of wildland firefighters who failed to drop their tools when they were no longer useful, resulting in their deaths. While the tools used by patient safety professionals are not physical implements, a similar phenomenon exists. In this review, the commonly used patient safety tools which are impeding progress are discussed. Alternative views to citing human error as a cause, ruthlessly targeting unachievable goals, and approaching the complex environment of healthcare as a linear system are presented.