Assessing the quality of patient handoffs at care transitions.

Background: Effective handoff practices (ie, mechanisms for transferring information, responsibility and authority) are critical to ensure continuity of care and patient safety.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a rating tool (self-rating and external rating) for handoff quality that goes beyond mere information transfer.

Methods: The rating tool was piloted during 126 patient handoffs performed in three different clinical settings in a tertiary care hospital: (1) paramedic to emergency room staff, (2) anaesthesia care provider to postanaesthesia care unit (PACU) and (3) PACU nurse to ward nurse.