Imagine a communication tool in patient rooms that allows interaction between the patient, his or her family members, and all the patient’s caregivers.

This tool is the whiteboard placed at the foot of each patient’s bed, often referred to as “the ticket home” or “the ticket to discharge,” because not every patient is discharged home.

The use of whiteboards in this manner is an evidence-based practice associated with improvements in patient satisfaction with the discharge process. This may result in an improvement in Press Ganey scores, indicating the patient felt ready for discharge.

Newly implemented at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, whiteboards used in this way have proven to have many benefits.

Check out the September 2009 issue of Case Management Monthly to read the full article, and discover the benefits of becoming a Case Management Monthly subscriber.