Intraoperative patient information handover between anesthesia providers

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Patient Safety
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Intraoperative handover practices among anesthesia providers lack documented evaluation.
• Previous studies in recovery room settings indicate insufficient anesthetic handover processes, with critical intraoperative events often overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate current intraoperative handover practices among anesthesia providers in the United States.
• To identify deficiencies in existing handover protocols and their impact on patient safety.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to anesthesia providers (residents, MDAs, CRNAs) across US anesthesia residency programs and selected institutions.
• Data collected included information on institutional handover protocols, perceived sufficiency, and experiences with insufficient information during handovers.

Main Results:

• 49.1% of respondents reported no handover protocol at their institution.
• 88% of those with protocols found them insufficient, and 84.8% reported receiving insufficient information during handovers.
• 7% never experienced complications from poor handovers; 60% rarely, 31% sometimes, and 3% frequently experienced complications.

Conclusions:

• The transition of patient care during intraoperative handovers is a vulnerable period with potential life-threatening risks.
• Current intraoperative handover practices among anesthesia providers are suboptimal.
• There is a clear need for national patient handover guidelines to enhance patient safety in the operating room.