Annals of Emergency Medicine
Volume 55, Issue 2 , Pages 181-183 , February 2010

Communication, Communication, Communication: The Art of the Handoff

  • Scott C. Gibson, MD

      Affiliations

    • Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI
    • Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, East Lansing, MI
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress for reprints: Scott C. Gibson, MD, Bronson Methodist Hospital, 601 John Street, Box 68, Kalamazoo, MI 49007; 269-341-6266, Fax 269-341-8244
    • ,
  • Jason J. Ham, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI
    • ,
  • Julie Apker, PhD

      Affiliations

    • School of Communication, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
    • ,
  • Larry A. Mallak, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI
    • ,
  • Neil A. Johnson, RN, MBA

      Affiliations

    • Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI

References 

  1. Cheung DS, Kelly JJ, Beach C, et al. Improving handoffs in the emergency department. Ann Emerg Med. 2010;55:171–180
  2. Eisenberg EM, Murphy AG, Sutcliffe K, et al. Communication in emergency medicine: implications for patient safety. Commun Monogr. 2005;72:390–413
  3. Bohm D. On Dialogue. London, England: Routledge; 1996;
  4. Apker J, Mallak LA, Gibson SC. Communicating in the “gray zone”: perceptions about emergency physician hospitalist handoffs and patient safety. Acad Emerg Med. 2007;14:884–894
  5. Wood JT. Communication Mosaics: An Introduction to the Field of Communication. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing; 2002;
  6. Apker J, Mallak LA, Applegate EB, et al. Exploring emergency physician-hospitalist handoff interactions: development of the handoff communications assessment. Ann Emerg Med.
  7. Smith GC, Pell JP. Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma related to gravitational challenge: systematic review of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2003;327:1459–1461
  8. Committee Charge of the Hospital Medicine-Emergency Medicine Task force. October 2009. Available from Society of Hospital Medicine, 1500 Spring Garden Street, Suite 501, Philadelphia, PA 19130.

 Supervising editor: Robert L. Wears, MD, MS

 Funding and support: By Annals policy, all authors are required to disclose any and all commercial, financial, and other relationships in any way related to the subject of this article that might create any potential conflict of interest. The authors have stated that no such relationships exist. See the Manuscript Submission Agreement in this issue for examples of specific conflicts covered by this statement.

 Publication date: Available online December 6, 2009.

 Earn CME Credit: Continuing Medical Education is available for this article at: www.ACEP-EMedhome.com.

PII: S0196-0644(09)01649-7

doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2009.10.009

Annals of Emergency Medicine
Volume 55, Issue 2 , Pages 181-183 , February 2010

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