Implementing a Comprehensive Handoff Program to Improve Patient Safety

June 17, 2014 updated by: Christopher P. Landrigan, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women's Hospital
The investigators propose to test the hypothesis that implementation of a comprehensive handoff program (CHP) - i.e., implementation of a computerized handoff tool along with teamwork training for internal medicine residents on inpatient units at Walter Reed and Madigan Army Medical Centers - will lead to reductions in resident miscommunications / medical errors and improvements in workflow and experience on the wards.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Following collection of baseline data on inpatient wards at both hospitals, teamwork training will be provided, accompanied by the introduction of a new computerized handoff tool that facilitates accurate transmission of data. The effects of this combined intervention on safety and workflow will be assessed on the intervention wards at both hospitals as compared with the historical control period.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

92

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20307
        • Walter Reed Army Medical Center
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
        • Brigham and Women's Hospital
    • Washington
      • Tacoma, Washington, United States, 98431
        • Madigan Army Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • all internal medicine residents completing rotations through intervention units during data collection periods

Exclusion Criteria:

  • none

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Comprehensive Handoff Program
Introduction of Computerized tool plus team training
Other: Computerized handoff tool
Computer program that facilitates accurate transmission of patient information between residents
Behavioral: Team training
Training in teamwork and reorganization of handoff processes to optimize transmission of information and team care

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Rates of resident communication and total medical errors
Time Frame: July 2010
July 2010

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Rates of all medical errors
Time Frame: July 2010
July 2010
Rates of verbal miscommunications
Time Frame: July 2010
July 2010
Rates of written miscommunications
Time Frame: July 2010
July 2010
Resident workflow, especially time spent updating the signout; time spent at bedside; time spent at computer
Time Frame: July 2010
July 2010
Resident care experience
Time Frame: July 2010
July 2010

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Collaborators

United States Department of Defense
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Madigan Army Medical Center

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Christopher P Landrigan, MD, MPH, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

July 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 12, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 25, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

May 26, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

June 18, 2014

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 17, 2014

Last Verified

June 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2008P002191
  • BAA01 07005001

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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