Hospital Safety Program :"eHand-offs"
"eHand-offs" is a new work-flow managment program currently scheduled to begin testing at an Easton, Pennsylvania hospital within a few months. The work-flow management program was designed in response to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization's top priority goal of improving hand-offs in hospital environments. The hand off time, during shift change, is a likely time for miscommunication and even malpractice as one doctor passes information to the next. According to Dr. David Kemp, director of the Internal Medicine Program at Easton Hospital, eHand-offs could help hospitals "establish unambiguous directions for the person who is signing out to the individual assuming accountability of care." He added that the program could become very useful in a residency program, where fresh medical school graduates get on-the-job training. EHand-offs is designed to create a secure, permanent record of all communications, which can then be monitored by a supervisor. The Jose Mercury News picked up the story from the AP Wire. It was originally reported in The Morning Call, of Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Until a program such as eHand-offs is readily available, patients should become self-advocates in understanding the tests, procedures and treatments ordered by their health care professionals. Ask questions about any tests and evaluations that are being performed and follow up with the next shift, if necessary.