What is the purpose of the Universal Protocol established by The Joint Commission?

• A. To streamline the surgery scheduling process
• B. To reduce surgical costs
• C. To prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-person surgeries
• D. To ensure patient comfort during recovery

Answer: (C)

The purpose of the Universal Protocol established by The Joint Commission is to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-person surgeries. This protocol was created to enhance patient safety in the surgical environment. It includes specific steps that healthcare teams must follow before the start of any procedure, such as conducting a thorough preoperative verification process, marking the surgical site, and performing a time-out immediately before surgery begins. These measures are essential in ensuring that the correct procedure is performed on the correct patient and at the correct site, thereby significantly reducing the risk of complications that can arise from surgical errors.

While streamlining the surgery scheduling process, reducing costs, and ensuring patient comfort during recovery are important aspects of healthcare, they are not the primary focus of the Universal Protocol. The protocol is specifically aimed at protecting patients from potentially devastating errors in the operative setting, making it a critical component of surgical safety.