LOOKING BACK AT THE STUDY BY FLEMING ET AL. (2006), ITS INSIGHTS REMAIN HIGHLY RELEVANT TODAY

Dear Editor, More than a decade has passed since the publication of “Investigating interpersonal competencies of cardiac surgery teams” by Fleming et al. (Can J Surg, 2006)[1], and we continue to be guided by, and to debate, this important work, which has undoubtedly changed the way many cardiac surgery centers around the world think about teamwork and patient safety.[1,2] The study offers valuable insight into an aspect of cardiac surgery that is too often overlooked: the interpersonal and communication skills that are essential for safe and effective team performance.