3 Patient Handoff Communication Tools to Know
Inadequate healthcare communication costs companies $1.7 billion per year and claims the lives of over 250,000 people (Makary & Daniel, 2016; Hoffman & Bergquist, 2015). The way health care workers describe their actions hurts those who are unable to speak appropriately. As a result, data from the electronic health record (EHR) is rarely used (Zou & Zhang, 2016). Several EHR businesses have begun to address handoffs as a result of the multiple challenges they face. Despite the fact that these technologies are increasingly widespread in EHRs, the majority of healthcare providers do not use them.
The current EHR system has a scarcity of EHR report apps, making it difficult for people to engage with one another (Guilbeault et al., 2015). Although it’s unclear how EHR handoff technology works, the advantages of improved communication are obvious. This study focuses on EHR Patient Handoff Tool with the most popular and used attributes.
Relevant handoff tools to improve patient care
User engagement in the design process, thorough information display, standard report formats, end-user customization, and mobility are all advantages of handoff systems that rely on electronic health records (EHRs). When these features were combined, the report and individuals who read it were able to communicate more freely. Communication became more efficient as a result, which helped to decrease misunderstandings. It also has implications for a variety of aspects of health care. Patients experienced better continuity of treatment when hospitals and primary care physicians coordinated more frequently utilizing digital technologies. The general public found the report-writing process to be more enjoyable when these tools were used.
As a result, by including these characteristics into the design, development, and deployment of EHR-supported handoff reporting systems, companies may enjoy the benefits. Two of the most important factors of a project’s success are user engagement in design and information comprehensiveness. For those who have done handoff reports for years, they desire a report that is thorough, easy to use, and adjustable.
Professionals from various departments (such as pediatric units and critical care units) may require different types of information to complete handoff reports. If the study’s specialists point out aspects of the information that do not apply to their specific fields of expertise, a more detailed report can be generated. If the report isn’t adequate for handoff, paper handoffs may be required. It’s feasible that the advantages of using an e-handoff report tool will outweigh the costs.
The adopted tools suggested by experts
Miscommunications cost the healthcare sector millions of dollars each year and result in the deaths of thousands of patients. If the healthcare business wants to avoid disasters, it must take a proactive approach to safety. The majority of EHR handoff solutions aren’t currently available, and those that are haven’t been warmly received by patients and physicians. When tools are designed with feedback from the people who will use them, they are more likely to be used. Users should be able to personalize them in order to make them more useful, attractive, and portable.
There are some tools that suggest the patient handoff improvement in the healthcare industry:
- Targeted Solutions Tool
- I-PASS Handoff Bundle
- SBAR handoff tool
- Medical Transitions and Clinical Handoffs Toolkit
- Sign-out software
- Pocket card for safe clinic handoffs
- Patient handover toolkit
- Patient handoff policy and form
HIPAA Compliant task management system
CareAlign, a HIPAA-compliant task management solution, is now available to medical professionals.
Any computer or smartphone may access the online app. To help in the improvement of clinical operations, it features HIPAA-compliant task lists, a dynamic care plan generator, and a note automation system. CareAlign, a company that helps enterprises in a range of care settings including hospitals of all kinds, skilled nursing facilities, and outpatient clinics, is offering a free beta version through 2021 to help clinicians and gather feedback.
CareAlign was built on the belief that equipping doctors with the right technology may improve care and minimize mistakes. With this in mind, the company developed an app that not only fits into a doctor’s regular work flow, but also improves it.
According to a recent Medscape poll, the most common causes of physician tiredness in the field are still documentation and reporting (EHR Intelligence). Many existing health information technologies, such as the electronic health record (EHR), were created to help with the business of healthcare, such as billing and coding, but they don’t go far enough to help people get better care.
CareAlign, a task management platform, is designed to reduce the risk of communication-related medical errors while also reducing the administrative burden on care providers, making it easier for people to get the treatment they need. The platform is used by half of CareAlign’s clients on its own, while the other half integrates it with their EHR to minimize paper rounds and handoffs.
A seed round of $2.3 million was raised by CareAlign, a Penn State affiliate.
CareAlign is a HIPAA-compliant collaborative work management application that is integrated into the electronic health record, or EHR, for physicians and their teams. It helps them keep track of tasks that they must finish collectively. Collaboration work lists, treatment plans, patient data, and notes are all included. Data may be entered into the EHR via the platform, which can subsequently be printed as a paper chart.
While serving as an associate chief medical informatics officer at Penn Medicine, Dr. Subha Airan-Javia developed it. In 2019, it was sold to a company outside of Penn. The company has raised a large amount of money since its beginning. The company’s worth was withheld by Airan-Javia.
The new CareAlign investors have a long history with the Ivy League. Another investor is Donald Hofmann, a former chairman of Princeton Health’s board of trustees who is currently managing partner of Crystal Ridge Partners. Hofmann Associates is also the name of the firm.
It is now being used in roughly 12 different settings, including acute and post-acute care, as well as homes and ambulatory care. Airan-Javia declined to reveal his earnings.
Value-based care and the at-risk market: This is a type of health-care remuneration that replaces visit-based payments with reimbursement based on service quality and treatment efficacy. These two types of remuneration are where the startup is focused its efforts. The CareAlign platform may be used to help professionals communicate more effectively between and during patient visits.
Visit CareAlign official site to find out more about patient handoff tools and practices.