Breakdown in communication has plagued healthcare for decades. Poor communication among healthcare providers is considered one of the most frequent causes of adverse events. Adverse events in surgical services are linked to poor and inaccurate information sharing, unfamiliarity of surgical patients’ history, risk factors, blurred boundaries of responsibility, and inappropriate decision making. The Joint Commission addressed handoffs as a National Patient Safety Goal with the intent to improve handoff communication and decrease adverse events. The need exists in the perioperative setting to incorporate a standardized handoff tool and communication technique to minimize communication errors and increase staff satisfaction.
