Effective Handoffs Strategies Highlighted at HM12

Vineet Arora, MD, FHM, has had extensive experience in patient handoffs, and highlighted the importance of handoffs for the transfer of patient information in a Monday afternoon breakout session at HM12. Safe and successful handoffs include several steps for the transfer of information, said Dr. Arora. These steps include pre-handoff, the arrival of the incoming physician, dialogue, and post-handoff.

Effective handoffs strategies include standardized information, updated information, limited interruptions, and specific structure including read-backs. Face-to-face handoffs are ideal.

Takeaways

• Beware of egocentric heuristic, the assumption that the receiving physician has the exact same information and fund of knowledge as the initial or sending physician.
• Checklists can be helpful but can have flaws when not used appropriately.
• "If-then" and "to do" lists are the most retained form of information from handoffs.
• Prioritize the most-ill patients during handoffs.
• Assess receiver understanding.
• Beware of too much information during handoffs.
• Programatic changes, such as protected handoff time and space, can support proper handoffs.

Vineet Arora, MD, FHM, has had extensive experience in patient handoffs, and highlighted the importance of handoffs for the transfer of patient information in a Monday afternoon breakout session at HM12. Safe and successful handoffs include several steps for the transfer of information, said Dr. Arora. These steps include pre-handoff, the arrival of the incoming physician, dialogue, and post-handoff.

Effective handoffs strategies include standardized information, updated information, limited interruptions, and specific structure including read-backs. Face-to-face handoffs are ideal.

Takeaways

• Beware of egocentric heuristic, the assumption that the receiving physician has the exact same information and fund of knowledge as the initial or sending physician.
• Checklists can be helpful but can have flaws when not used appropriately.
• "If-then" and "to do" lists are the most retained form of information from handoffs.
• Prioritize the most-ill patients during handoffs.
• Assess receiver understanding.
• Beware of too much information during handoffs.
• Programatic changes, such as protected handoff time and space, can support proper handoffs.

Vineet Arora, MD, FHM, has had extensive experience in patient handoffs, and highlighted the importance of handoffs for the transfer of patient information in a Monday afternoon breakout session at HM12. Safe and successful handoffs include several steps for the transfer of information, said Dr. Arora. These steps include pre-handoff, the arrival of the incoming physician, dialogue, and post-handoff.

Effective handoffs strategies include standardized information, updated information, limited interruptions, and specific structure including read-backs. Face-to-face handoffs are ideal.

Takeaways

• Beware of egocentric heuristic, the assumption that the receiving physician has the exact same information and fund of knowledge as the initial or sending physician.
• Checklists can be helpful but can have flaws when not used appropriately.
• "If-then" and "to do" lists are the most retained form of information from handoffs.
• Prioritize the most-ill patients during handoffs.
• Assess receiver understanding.
• Beware of too much information during handoffs.
• Programatic changes, such as protected handoff time and space, can support proper handoffs.