​High-quality handoffs can be achieved by all caregivers, the Joint Commission said, introducing a September 11, 2017, Sentinel Event Alert outlining eight tips for achieving this goal. The accrediting agency advises determining all pieces of critical information that will need to be communicated face to face and in writing. Communication methods should be standardized using tools such as forms, checklists, and templates. Electronic or paper communication should not be the sole means of communication; in the event that a face-to-face conversation cannot take place, providers should consider telephone or video conferencing. Combine information from many sources into one communication, rather than a series of small communications. Be sure providers, at minimum, always receive several essential pieces of information, such as a patient's vital signs, allergy lists, and contact information for the sender. Conduct handoffs in an area free from non-emergency interruptions. All team members and, if possible, a patient's family members, should be included in a handoff, and time should be taken to ask and answer any questions. Finally, Joint Commission calls on providers to use technology to enhance handoffs, but not to rely on it solely.

HRC Recommends: Implementing an effective handoff exchange can lead to new insights about the patient's condition as providers share their perspectives with each other and with the patient's involved family member(s). An effective handoff communication, for example, could bring to light a previously undetected error in the patient's care, enabling the providers to intervene to stop the error from harming the patient.