Standardized Patient Handoff Checklist and Patient Safety

Abstract

<p>Inadequate, absent, or ineffective communication resulting in patient safety issues has plagued the United States Air Force (USAF) aeromedical evacuation (AE) community over time and has become increasingly worse since September 11, 2001. The lack of handoff communication is a significant contributing factor for decreased patient safety in the hospital where the environment is relatively controlled. In volatile environments such as an airfield taking mortar fire, handoff communication is almost non-existent, exponentially decreasing patient safety.</p><p>This poster was presented at the Wright State University Campus-Wide Celebration of Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities on April 8, 2011</p>