Background: Handoff miscommunications are a leading source of medical errors. Medical error and adverse event rates decreased following implementation of the I-PASS handoff program (a bundled intervention using a structured mnemonic, I-PASS, and other initiatives to sustain implementation) in a pediatric research trial. Whether I-PASS can be implemented in settings outside academic pediatric institutions is [...]

Background: Experts identify empathic responses to patient expressions of negative emotion – such as anxiety, sadness, and anger – as a key component of patient-centered communication, yet evidence on the impact of empathy on patient-reported outcomes in the hospital is limited. Methods: Our study objective was to assess the association between hospitalists’ expressions of empathy [...]

Background: At all academic medical centers, nurses and resident physicians are two prominent front-line contributors to the care of patients. During a patient’s hospital stay, they receive communication regarding their diagnosis, test results, management, and plan of care from both the resident physicians and the nursing staff. Therefore, it is critical to have effective communication [...]

Background: Patient portal use has been associated with improved patient experience, safety, and health outcomes.1,2 To keep patients better connected to their providers, our institution aimed to expand MyChart utilization. We piloted a standard operating procedure (SOP) to enhance MyChart education and uptake among those admitted to an inpatient general medicine unit. Purpose: Our intervention [...]

Background: The HCAHPS survey is used nationally by health systems as a standard to measure the patient experience and identify opportunities for improvement. Historically, process improvement initiatives based on the survey are implemented retroactively, attempting to prevent negative experiences for future patients. However, given the increasing complexity of patient care, proactively addressing the identified concerns [...]

Background: Hospitalized patients and their families often face challenges in accessing and understanding developments in care plans, test results, and interdisciplinary decisions made during their stay. This knowledge gap causes anxiety, confusion, and missed opportunities for shared decision-making. Enhanced interdisciplinary communication and transparency with patients positively impacts patient satisfaction, readmission rates, patient safety and adherence [...]

Background: High levels of interprofessional collaboration and communication have been shown to lead to better patient safety outcomes, improved patients’ satisfaction and quality of care, as well as higher job satisfaction for doctors and nurses alike. Yet, challenges to nurse-doctor collaborations exist. One way of improving interprofessional collaboration may be through structured co-teaching by nurses [...]

Background: Experts identify empathic responses to patient expressions of negative emotion – such as anxiety, sadness, and anger – as a key component of patient-centered communication, yet evidence on the impact of empathy on patient-reported outcomes in the hospital is limited. Methods: Our study objective was to assess the association between hospitalists’ expressions of empathy [...]

Background: Handoff miscommunications are a leading source of medical errors. Medical error and adverse event rates decreased following implementation of the I-PASS handoff program (a bundled intervention using a structured mnemonic, I-PASS, and other initiatives to sustain implementation) in a pediatric research trial. Whether I-PASS can be implemented in settings outside academic pediatric institutions is [...]

Background: Most academic general medical services cover patients across several different care units in the hospital. Studies have shown that de-regionalized care leads to a lack of team cohesion and poor communication between healthcare providers. Prior studies have shown that teamwork improves patient outcomes and increases health care worker satisfaction. However, little information using validated [...]