Improving Intraoperative Communication in Trauma: The Educational Effect of the Joint DSTC™–DATC™ Courses

Background Operative management of severe trauma requires excellent communication among team members. The surgeon and anesthesiologist need to interact efficiently, exchanging vital information. The Definitive Surgical Trauma Care (DSTC) and Definitive Anesthesia Trauma Care (DATC) courses provide an excellent opportunity for teamwork training. Our goal was to study the impact of the joint DSTC–DATC courses in candidates’ self-reported assessment in communication skills and techniques in a simulated intraoperative trauma scenario. Methods Study population consists of 93 candidates (67 surgeons and 26 anesthesiologists) participating in four consecutive joint DSTC–DATC courses in May and June 2019 in Brazil (3) and in Portugal (1). Median age was 30 years; 53 (60%) of subjects were male (46 senior residents and 47 specialists). All participants attended joint lectures, case discussions and surgical skills session, emphasizing intraoperative communication. Post-course survey on several aspects of perioperative communication (responses on a Likert scale) was conducted with participants being asked which aspects of intraoperative communication they valued the most. Results All participants responded to the survey. Results displayed an increase in the self-assessed importance of team briefing and intraoperative communication, particularly routine periodic communication, rather than only at critical moments. Postoperative team debriefing was also valued as highly relevant. Closed-loop and direct, by-name communication were highly rated. Self-reported communication skills improved significantly during the course. Conclusions Joint training in the DSTC–DATC courses improved candidates’ perception and skills on proficient intraoperative communication. Further studies should address both the durability of these changes and the potential impact on patient care.