Clinical Handover

About The Program

Clinical Handover refers to the transfer of professional responsibility and accountability for some or all aspects of care for a patient, or group of patients, to another person or professional group on a temporary or permanent basis.

The purpose of this program is to identify, develop and improve clinical handover communication. Safe health care delivery for patients depends on effective communication between health care providers. Developing and implementing more consistent and reliable approaches to clinical handover is a key strategy to reduce communication errors.

Australia is also participating in the High 5s initiative of the WHO Patient Safety Alliance. Additional information is available on the World Health Organization website.

The clinical handover project will be rolled out in 2 phases. Phase 1 will look at the improvement of handover communication across a range of settings of care - including public and private hospitals and primary and ambulatory care settings. The National Clinical Handover Initiative developed with the following components:

1. Handover Solutions
2. Information Systems
3. Communication Training and,
4. Observation Tools.

Phase 2 will involve the roll out of successful solutions from phase 1 to other sites around the country.

Tender processes are being used to identify work to deliver in the above categories. To view current and past tenders, please visit the Commission Tenders Web Page.

Seven (7) applicants were successful in the first round of tenders in August 2007. Four (4) applicants were successful in the second round of tenders in November 2007.

Clinical Handover Literature Review

The eHealth Services Research Group at the University of Tasmania has undertaken a evidence-based clinical handover literature review (PDF 409 KB) for the Commission. This literature review examines the evidence for effectiveness of improvement interventions in clinical handover.

The review selected 110 publications for discussion and presentation within the body of the report. The report addresses the following three themes:

• High Risk Scenarios in Clinical Handover;
• Interventions, Critical Success Factors and Effectiveness; and
• Evidence Gaps in Clinical Handover.

The team has concentrated their review on literature published in the last five years; included both quantitative and qualitative research; as well as materials from both Australian and international publications.

Presentation at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Health Care – April 2008

Dr Christine Jorm and Professor Rick Iedema presented "Innovative Approaches to Enhancing Clinical Handover" (PDF 185 KB) at the Forum.

Handover Solutions

Bedside Handover and Whiteboard Communication (PDF 24 KB) - Griffith University Research Centre for Clinical Practice Innovation, Queensland Health Patient Safety Centre and Peel Health Campus, Western Australia (August 2007)

Improving clinical handover for the critically ill patient requiring air transportation (PDF 23 KB) - West Australian Country Health Service, Royal Perth Hospital, Saint Johns Ambulance and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (August 2007)

Inter-professional communication and team climate in complex clinical handover situations (in the Post Anaesthesia Care Unit): issues for safety in the private sector (PDF 41 KB) – Deakin University (work to be undertaken at the Epworth, Cabrini and Alfred Hospitals) (November 2007)

Revolving doors – Effective communication in the handover of mental health patients to community health practitioners (PDF 30 KB) - St John of God Health Care – NSW Services (November 2007)

SHAREing Obstetric Care- Clinical handover between VMOs and Midwives (PDF 45 KB) - Mater Health Services Brisbane Limited (November 2007)

The development of SOPs and educational resources for shift-to-shift, medical and nursing handover (PDF 15 KB) - Tasmania: Department of Health and Human Services, Royal Hobart Hospital and University of Tasmania (August 2007)

Transfer to Hospital Envelope (PDF 22 KB) - North East Valley Division of General Practice, Victoria (August 2007)

Communication Training

Development of e-learning strategy for safe clinical handover (PDF 34 KB) - University of Queensland Centre for Health Innovation and Solutions, Queensland Health Patient Safety Centre, and Med-E-Serv Pty Ltd (August 2007)

TeamSTEPPSTM (PDF 18 KB) - South Australian Department of Health Clinical Systems Unit and South Australian Health Services (August 2007)

The PACT Program – Communication training and team training to support handover (PDF 30 KB) - Albury-Wodonga Private Hospital – Ramsay Healthcare (November 2007)

Observation Tools

The use of reflective video to improve handover (PDF 21 KB) - UTS Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences; Nursing, Midwifery and Health, and Adult Education, University of Melbourne School of Nursing, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Prince of Wales Hospital, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the John Hunter Hospital Newcastle (August 2007)

Clinical Handover Events

Upcoming Events

21 January 2008 – Submissions for the RFT 197/0708 Clinical Handover for Electronic Tools and High Risk Handover Scenarios tender applications due 2 pm EST (Sydney). For more information please see the Commission's RFT 197/0708 page for further information.

Recent events

22 October 2007 – Submissions for the Clinical Handover in the Private Sector tender applications closed

Contact

Dr Christine Jorm, Program Manager
(02) 9263 3633

Email: mail@safetyandquality.gov.au

Updated: 18 June, 2008

top of page