Utilizing technology to improve intraoperative family communication.

Purpose: To create and assess satisfaction with an electronic-medical-record (EMR) integrated communication system designed to optimize perioperative communication with families.

Methods: We built a tool in the EMR's intraoperative nursing navigation screen for sending customized or standardized text pages to families in English or Spanish. Preoperatively, families were given text pagers with instructions and a hospital map to facilitate leaving the waiting area.