Using the Targeted Solutions Tool® to Improve Emergency Department Handoffs in a Community Hospital

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Clinical Communication

Background:

• Limited evidence exists for improving patient handoff processes, especially from emergency departments (EDs) to inpatient units.
• A systematic approach was implemented to enhance handoff communication between an ED and physician groups at a community hospital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically improve the handoff communication process between the ED and inpatient physician groups.
• To identify and address factors contributing to defective handoff communications.

Main Methods:

• The Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare's Targeted Solutions Tool (TST) was used to collect data on handoff defects and contributing factors.
• Targeted solutions were developed and implemented to address identified issues, such as inaccurate information and lack of standardized procedures.

Main Results:

• The baseline defective handoff rate was 29.9%, with inaccurate/incomplete information and ineffective methods being key issues.
• Following targeted interventions, the defective handoff rate decreased by 58.2% to 12.5%.
• Adverse events related to handoffs also declined, correlating with improved communication.

Conclusions:

• The use of the Targeted Solutions Tool (TST) was associated with significant improvements in the ED handoff communication process.
• A systematic, data-driven approach can effectively reduce patient handoff errors and enhance care transitions.