How to improve handoffs
Communication is key to hospitalist handoffs, according to a new study, “Hospitalist handoffs: A systematic review and task force recommendations,” published in the September issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Chicago made recommendations during the handoff period in which patient safety is sometimes at risk. They found that best way to communicate information during service changes is a verbal handoff with written documentation. The documentation should be in a structured format or through electronic means. Communication should be refreshed daily with the latest clinical information, according to the study.
About the Author: Karen M. Cheung is the associate editor for HCPro, Inc., the healthcare compliance publisher, delivering news and information to the hospitalist market with products such as books, e-newsletters, seminars, and broadcast events.
Before arriving at HCPro, Karen served as the news editor for Reviewed.com (including DigitalCameraInfo.com and lead blogger for CamcorderInfo.com), providing unbiased tech reviews for the WashingtonPost.com. Having trained with The Washington Post photo department and earning a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, Karen has experience with news and commercial photography. During her time in D.C., she covered Capitol Hill and the White House for daily New England newspapers.
