Don't Fumble the Hand-off

Failed hand-offs are a common cause of patient injuries that prompt malpractice claims. Hand-offs occur all along the continuum of patient care, and any member of the healthcare team can make a difference in increasing hand-off safety. Patient safety and medical liability risk management depend on a combination of accurate information transfer and clear establishment of patient responsibility and authority at each hand-off. Utilizing the risk reduction strategies presented in this month’s Claims Rx can improve hand-off communications, which can lead to fewer patient injuries, fewer malpractice lawsuits, and greater patient satisfaction.