I-pass, a mnemonic to standardize verbal handoffs.

Abstract

The first cohort of IIPE projects from 2009 are beginning to realize some early successes. We bring you this article in the spirit of sharing what works and what doesn't. The lesson about the importance of context is critical in adopting and adapting innovations to your own learning environment. —Carol Carraccio, MD, MA Section Editor New duty hours standards have increased the frequency of transitions in care or handoffs for resident physicians. Because miscommunications are a leading cause of adverse events in hospitals, optimizing the handoff process is essential for patient safety. The I-PASS Study aims to determine the effectiveness of implementing a “resident handoff bundle” to standardize inpatient transitions in care and decrease medical errors in 10 pediatric institutions.1 The resident handoff bundle includes 3 major elements: team training by using focused TeamSTEPPS communication strategies,2 implementation of a standardized template for the written or printed computerized handoff document, and introduction of several evidence-based verbal handoff processes, which are referred to by using a novel verbal mnemonic. This multisite collaborative education and research project was launched with the support of the Initiative for Innovation in Pediatric Education (IIPE) and the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings (PRIS) network. The title I-PASS is an acronym that not only denotes the title and purpose of our research study—IIPE-PRIS Accelerating Safe Sign-outs—but also serves as the verbal mnemonic for the standardized handoff itself. Individual elements of the I-PASS mnemonic will be defined in this article. Mnemonics are memory aids. Effective mnemonics are catchy, symbolic, parsimonious, utilitarian, and may conjure up a visual image linked to a process or subject. In this report, we emphasize the importance of structured communication strategies to enhance patient safety, review literature pertinent to the handoff process, including the use of verbal mnemonics, and describe the creation of … Address correspondence to Amy J. Starmer, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail code: CDRCP, 707 SW Gaines St, Portland, OR 97239-2998. E-mail: starmer{at}ohsu.edu