Book Description

"Handover occurs at all transitions of patient care, from handover between shifts on a ward, handover between units within a facility, or handover between different facilities during patient transfer. Recently, clinical handover has been the focus of several national and international efforts to enhance quality and influence change. Of the many types of interventions that focus on improving clinical handover, the use of technology to support handover has been an issue of increasing relevance with recent advances in health informatics... This guide is written within this context, and provides guidance to clinicians, medical administrators, quality and safety staff, and health informatics professionals with respect to the safe use of electronic tools to support clinical handover. This guide is also designed to assist at all stages of the design and use of electronic handover systems, from the investment in a new product right through to implementation and evaluation. In short, this guide covers the main considerations for ensuring the safe use of electronic tools to support clinical handover." -- from Executive Summary.