Handover Practices in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery: A Multicenter Survey Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Practice
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Patient handover is a critical juncture for communication in healthcare, with potential for errors.
• High-acuity settings like trauma and emergency surgery demand particularly clear and effective patient handovers.
• Current methods for evaluating and executing handovers in these specialized fields lack consensus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate current handover practices among trauma and acute care surgeons.
• To understand surgeons' perceptions regarding the effectiveness and necessity of patient handover.
• To identify areas for improvement in handover processes within trauma and emergency surgery settings.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to 2265 members of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.
• Respondents provided data on their practice setting, patient census, trauma center level, and patient populations.
• Information was collected on handover frequency, attendees, duration, timing, formality, and provider satisfaction.

Main Results:

• A 17.1% response rate yielded 380 completed surveys, predominantly from Level 1 trauma centers and trauma/emergency general surgeons.
• Only 35% reported formalized handover, and 52% used standardized tools, with limited formal training (18%).
• Over 80% deemed handover essential for patient care and harm prevention, with 72% desiring improvements, citing conciseness and verbal communication as key.

Conclusions:

• Trauma and emergency general surgeons recognize handover's importance but seek enhancements.
• Standardization, simplification, and enhanced verbal communication are crucial for improving handover effectiveness.
• Development of formal education and best practice guidelines for surgical patient handover is recommended.