Since the 18th century, bedside rounds have been a fundamental component of clinical care, serving as a setting where clinical information is gathered, processed and shared.1 This tradition highlights the importance of maintaining a high level of structure during clinical encounters. Over time, structured tools to guide care have been widely adopted across multiple specialties.2–6 Systematic checklists, in particular, have become the most used form of structured intervention in bedside wards to enhance patient care and safety.7–9 This intervention has been associated with improved non-clinical outcomes, such as communication and adherence to standard protocols.7–9 However, their impact on clinical outcomes remains a matter of debate.10

A 2014 systematic review found that safety checklists improved team communication, improved adherence to standards and reduced adverse events, morbidity and mortality, with no reports of harm.6 In contrast, Ko et al reported no high-quality evidence supporting the effectiveness of safety checklists on clinical outcomes.11 Most existing literature comes from surgical3–5 and intensive care unit (ICU)7 9 settings, where complex, multidisciplinary workflows might be particularly amenable to structured tools. Yet, even in these environments, the evidence has yielded mixed results.