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Trauma Hand-Offs: Moving Patients Through Multiple Phases and Locations of Care

  • Anesthesia for Trauma (JW Simmons, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Hand-off reports in hospitals have recently gained attention as a potential safety issue regarding overall patient care. This has been a particular concern in the acutely injured patient. There is a paucity of research regarding patient care hand-offs in a trauma center environment and as a result, little has been done to change this global problem. Hand-offs of trauma patients begin in the emergency department between pre-hospital providers and trauma center staff, and continue to the operating room, ICU, as well as other locations. As a result, patient assessment and critical information get lost along the way. After reviewing the literature, we have identified some important references and recommendations to improve trauma patient hand-offs.

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References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: •• Of major importance

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Correspondence to George W. Williams II.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Anesthesia for Trauma.

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Williams, G.W., Stephens, C.T. & Hagberg, C. Trauma Hand-Offs: Moving Patients Through Multiple Phases and Locations of Care. Curr Anesthesiol Rep 6, 65–71 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40140-016-0142-0

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