*This episode originally aired on January 4th, 2010.

When surgeon and author Atul Gawande was asked to lead a global project for the World Health Organization, his charge was simple: find ways to reduce deaths and complications in surgery.  Gawande researched a variety of fields and professions in his search for answers and found a humble, powerful tool, that when employed with care and diligence can save lives.  No fancy new technology, just a checklist. 

In his new book, The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right, Atul Gawande explores how an increasinlgy complex world has made commonplace the occurance of avoidable failures. The solution, he says, is surprisingly simple.

*Atul Gawande will be in New Haven, Connecticut on Friday, January 8th.  He'll give a talk hosted by RJ Julia Booksellers at The Study at Yale.  1157 Chapel Street, 7pm.