Joint Commission Releases Tool to Combat Miscommunication

The Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare has released a new Hand-off Communications Targeted Solutions Tool, designed to reduce the risk of miscommunication among healthcare providers.

An estimated 80 percent of serious medical errors involve miscommunication between caregivers when patients are transferred or handed-off.

 

Sign up for our FREE E-Weekly for more coverage like this sent to your inbox!

The targeted solutions tool was created to measure the effectiveness of hand-offs within an organization or to another facility and provide proven solutions to improve performance. Healthcare organizations that piloted the tool reported reduced readmissions, increased patient and staff satisfaction as well as successful patient transfers.

The targeted solutions include the following recommendations:

•    Standardize training on how to conduct a hand-off.
•    Use standardized forms and methods every time a hand-off occurs.
•    Examine the workflow of caregivers to ensure smooth hand-offs.
•    Identify and stress key information about each patient before hand-offs.

View the hand-off communication targeted solutions tool in full by clicking here.

More Articles on Patient Safety:

Congress Passes FDA Safety and Innovation Act With Drug Shortage Provisions

Congressmen Introduce Legislation Designed to Boost Imaging Safety

AHRQ 2011 State Snapshots Spotlight Healthcare Quality, Population Health