Face-to-face handoff doesn't improve patient outcomes
(HealthDay)—There are no significant improvements in patient outcomes associated with face-to-face handoff of patients admitted to general medical services at a large academic tertiary referral hospital, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Will M. Schouten, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues used a Global Trigger Tool to retrospectively compare clinical outcomes among 805 patients whose care was transitioned with and without face-to-face handoffs.
The researchers observed no significant difference in the frequency of rapid response team calls, code team calls, transfers to a higher level of care, deaths in hospital, length of stay, 30-day readmission rate, or adverse events between patients whose care was transitioned with a face-to-face handoff and those whose care was transitioned without one.
"Additional study is needed to determine the qualities of patient handoff that optimize efficiency and safety," the authors write.
More information:
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Copyright © 2015 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
