In an increasingly EMR-driven and EMR-reliant world, there may be a resultant decrease in cognitive performance (Cogn Technol Work 2011;13:11-29). The reliance on electronic medical records may create patient safety hazards at times during our daily care processes, such as when we are complacent or less vigilant. In a recent survey, up to 40% of physicians believed that EMRs create more challenges than benefits (Hospital Peer Review 2019;44).
Handoffs in the perioperative setting can be associated with patient harm (Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf 2008;34:563-70). The literature has demonstrated that communication gaps may be reduced by standardizing handoffs (APSF Newsletter 2017;32). Whether the handoff is for changes in patient location or changes in care team personnel, there are risks from loss of continuity of care and insufficient or inaccurate information exchange. Standardized communication in the form of checklists and templates and...
