Morbidity and mortality (M&M) conferences are an acclaimed method for achieving case-based learning and improving surgical care1. Their educational value is acknowledged, but whether these conferences contribute to systemic improvement is unclear2. M&M formats vary widely3,4, and are mostly focused on severe adverse events and individual performance, thus lacking consideration of system-level issues or similar cases where successful outcomes were achieved3,5,6. To overcome these shortcomings, an adapted weekly M&M meeting was developed at the authors unit7. In the adapted meeting, the surgical team collectively reflects both on all recently discharged but also on planned procedures, which is consistent with existing frameworks8. Discussing all cases also directs attention to successful outcomes, rather than only the complicated ones. This allows the team to understand how to ensure safety for their patients continuously9,10.
The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate how the novel weekly reflective team meeting affects the dynamics of a surgical team and improves the quality of care.
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