Ensuring effective care transition communication: implementation of an electronic medical record-based tool for improved cancer treatment handoffs between clinic and infusion nurses.
Pandya C, Clarke T, Scarsella E, et al. Ensuring Effective Care Transition Communication: Implementation of an Electronic Medical Record-Based Tool for Improved Cancer Treatment Handoffs Between Clinic and Infusion Nurses. J Oncol Pract. 2019;15(5):e480-e489. doi:10.1200/JOP.18.00245.
Care transitions and handoffs represent a vulnerable time for patients, as failure to communicate important clinical information may occur with the potential for harm. In this pre–post study, researchers found that implementation of an electronic health record tool designed to improve the handoff between oncology clinic and infusion nurses was associated with a reduction in medication errors, shorter average patient waiting time, and better communication between nurses.