The Impact of Anesthesiologist Situational Awareness on Patient Safety and Liability Risk

Situational awareness is the “perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of space and time, the comprehension of their meaning and the projection of their status in the near future.” Situational awareness can reduce the risk of patient injuries and thereby decrease liability risk exposure. Looking at anesthesia liability claims through a situational awareness framework provides a fresh patient safety and risk management perspective that focuses on physician thought processes.