Range: 0.39‑0. The lower the better.
This measure refers to foreign objects, such as surgical instruments or sponges that are accidentally left inside of a patient’s body after surgery. The risk of a patient retaining a foreign object increases during an emergency surgery or unplanned event. Although this occurrence is rare, it may require additional surgical procedures to remove the object or cause death. Hospitals should have processes in place to prevent this error by making sure the surgical team communicates during surgery by counting its instruments and sponges.