Surgical liaisons: the bridge between the OR and family members.

1 Surgical liaisons: The bridge between the OR and family members Surgery is a stressful time not only for patients but also for their families. Using a surgical liaison to communicate the status of an operation to those in the waiting area has boosted the satisfaction of patients, families, and surgeons, say perioperative directors whose hospitals have these positions. The liaison provides ongoing communication with family members, offering support, answering questions, and providing updates on the patient’s progress. Qualifications and ways of obtaining information vary by facility, but hospitals that use surgical liaisons uniformly consider them a valuable resource.