Checklist Manifesto Book Notes

By Atul Gawande

Simple interventions, measure effects, is it transmissible? (capable of being transmitted)

Archimedes – leverage benefits

Study in Karachi. Soap, some with antibacterial qualities distributed. Antibacterial or not, caused
++ improvements in hygiene. Soap was a vehicle for change.

Columbus Children’s Hospital. Pediatric surgeon was also a pilot. He did a cleared for takeoff
checklist.

Surgery killers – infection, bleeding, anesthesia, unexpected.

As medical and surgical complexity increased, surgeons continued to operate as centralized stars
in theaters, not as a team.

Good checklists are brief, critical, precise.

Do confirm checklist. Read checklist and report what is done. 5-9 items ideal.

We are obsessed with the right parts (best doctor, best medicines, best machines). But real
excellence comes from systems.

Look for recurrent failures and find solutions.