What does the Universal Protocol not include as part of its routine?

The Universal Protocol is a set of guidelines established to ensure patient safety in surgical and other invasive procedures. It emphasizes critical steps to prevent errors, particularly related to wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-person surgeries.

The protocol specifically includes the implementation of a pre-procedure verification process, which ensures that the correct patient, site, and procedure are confirmed before any intervention. This is also complemented by the requirement to mark the procedure site, which serves as an additional safety measure to minimize risks. Finally, performing a time-out prior to starting a procedure is a crucial last safety check.

Providing financial estimates to patients, however, is not part of the Universal Protocol. While it is an important aspect of overall patient care and communication, it does not pertain to the safety measures addressed by the Universal Protocol. Thus, the routine procedures mandated by the protocol do not encompass financial discussions or estimates.