Stop asking if it works, start making it happen: exploring barriers to clinical event debriefing in the ED

Case closed. The evidence is overwhelming; clinical event debriefing (CED) is an effective way to improve multi-disciplinary team performance within Emergency Departments (EDs).

In this issue of CJEM, Rose et al. show how a CED program positively impacts individuals, teams, and systems. They add to the already convincing evidence that high performing teams are strengthened by reflecting on their performance [1]. The body of proof for CED is higher quality than many other practices in emergency medicine [2]. Why then, are we not yet routinely implementing CED programs throughout EDs across the country—just as we do sepsis pathways and STEMI protocols?

The paper by Rose et al. liberates our national EM community from spending any more time trying to “prove” that CED “works”. Instead, we now have the responsibility to focus energy on making it happen within our unique contexts. With reference to the themes described by Rose et al., we will explore four common barriers to implementation and reflect on how these can be overcome. Our current staff and future patients deserve it.

As you read, consider your own department.