Collaborative Clinical Surveillance Across Surgery, Nursing, Radiology, and Pharmacy for Early Identification of Postoperative Adverse Events: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Postoperative adverse events (AEs) remain a major source of preventable morbidity and mortality. Effective detection and management require multidisciplinary collaboration integrating clinical surveillance across surgery, nursing, radiology, and pharmacy.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize empirical evidence on the effectiveness of collaborative surveillance systems for early AE detection and prevention.

Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, ten peer-reviewed studies (2013–2025) were analyzed from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, BMJ, and other databases. Eligible studies investigated interprofessional teamwork in AE monitoring, including prospective surveillance, trigger tools, and pharmacovigilance approaches.

Results: Across settings, adverse event incidence ranged from 2.6 to 38 per 100 patient-days, with 33–60% classified as preventable. Studies demonstrated that nurse-led and pharmacy-supported systems significantly enhanced AE recognition and medication safety, while radiology collaboration expedited diagnostic confirmation. Data-driven approaches and AI-assisted tools showed further potential for precision detection. Despite heterogeneity in study designs, most evidence supported that multidisciplinary surveillance improves AE reporting sensitivity and interdepartmental learning culture.

Conclusions: Integrated surveillance models combining human expertise and digital monitoring foster timely AE detection and reduce preventable harm. Strengthening cross-departmental coordination remains pivotal to improving surgical patient safety outcomes.