Attending Surgeons Differ From Other Team Members in Their Perceptions of Operating Room Communication.

Background: The Joint Commission has repeatedly recognized inadequate communication as a top contributing factor to medical error in the operating room (OR). The goal of this qualitative study was to develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of OR communication dynamics, specifically across different interdisciplinary roles and to recommend specific interventions based on these findings.

Methods: We performed a two-phase qualitative study at one academic institution to explore contributors and barriers to optimal OR communication.