Authors: Arora, Vineet; Johnson, Julie

Source: Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, Volume 32, Number 11, November 2006 , pp. 646-655(10)

Publisher: Joint Commission Resources

Abstract:

Background: The Joint Commission has made a "standardized approach to hand-off communications" a National Patient Safety Goal.

Method: An interactive 90-minute workshop (handoff clinic) was developed in 2005 to (1) develop a standardized process for the handoff, (2) create a checklist of critical patient content, and (3) plan for dissemination and training.

Conclusion: To date, 7 of 10 residency programs have participated. Analysis of these protocols demonstrated that the hand-off process is highly variable and discipline-specific. Although all disciplines required a verbal hand-off, because of competing demands, verbal communication did not always occur. In some cases, the transfer of professional responsibility was separated in time and space from the transfer of information. For example, in two cases, patient tasks were assigned to other team members to facilitate timely departure of a postcall resident (to meet resident duty-hour restrictions), but results were not formally communicated to anyone. The handoff clinic facilitated the incorporation of "closed-loop" communication by requiring that follow-up on these tasks be conveyed to the on-call resident.

Discussion: This model for design and implementation can be applied to other health care settings.

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2006-11-01

More about this publication?

• Published monthly, The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety is a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to providing health professionals with the information they need to promote the quality and safety of health care. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety invites original manuscripts on the development, adaptation, and/or implementation of innovative thinking, strategies, and practices in improving quality and safety in health care. Case studies, program or project reports, reports of new methodologies or new applications of methodologies, research studies on the effectiveness of improvement interventions, and commentaries on issues and practices are all considered.
  
  Also known as Joint Commission Journal on Quality Improvement and Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Safety
• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• Information for Advertisers
• Reprints and Permissions
• Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety - Author Index
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Medicine ,  Public Health
• By this author: Arora, Vineet ;  Johnson, Julie

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers