Patient handover from surgery to intensive care: using Formula 1 pit-stop and aviation models to improve safety and quality.
Transfer of patients from the operating room to intensive care involves exchange of complex information between multiple providers in a short period of time, creating the potential for errors. In this study, the authors examined models of handoffs in the aviation industry and Formula One car racing and incorporated elements from each to develop a protocol for handoff of congenital heart disease patients. The protocol resulted in a significant reduction in communication errors and duration of the handoff process. A prior news article discussed this and other examples of incorporating techniques from other industries to improve patient safety.