WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Health care providers in Wichita have come together to develop surgical protocols for use citywide in operating rooms and ambulatory facilities.

The announcement Wednesday in Wichita was designed to coincide with National Time Out Day.

The Medical Society of Sedgwick County’s Wichita Quality Health Collaborative coordinated the effort to make Wichita the safest place in the country to undergo surgery.

Dr. Randall Morgan is chairman of the group’s safety committee. He says in a news release that developing a common process and checklist that is consistently used whenever the surgery or procedure is performed will reduce the risk of errors and improve patient safety.

Health care providers from across the city have met for a year to research and develop the common procedures.