Published in:
01-12-2017 | Patient Safety in Anesthesia (A Barbeito, Section Editor)
Transitions of Care in the Perioperative Period
Published in: Current Anesthesiology Reports | Issue 4/2017
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Purpose of Review
The purpose of this article is to summarize the evolving literature concerning perioperative handoffs for surgical patients.
Recent Findings
Perioperative transitions of care are high-risk events with the opportunity for patient harm. Recognition of this risk has led to increased scrutiny of handoffs occurring throughout the perioperative care continuum. Though limited, previous literature has focused on the use of checklists as a strategy to increase handoff reliability. More recent literature suggests that broader, process-driven interventions may be more effective in addressing the multiple factors that contribute to the success of patient handoffs. Further, recent studies have begun to address the sustainability of such interventions.
Summary
Handoffs are complex, error-prone patient care events. Handoff process standardization (including, but not solely consisting of checklist use) is a promising, evidence-based strategy that has been shown to improve communication and mitigate harm to patients receiving care in perioperative settings.