Safer Sign Out is a patient-centered, team-based innovation that was developed by emergency physicians to improve the safety and reliability of end of shift patient “handoffs.”

The Emergency Medicine Patient Safety Foundation (EMPSF), in collaboration with our innovation partners, brings you the Safer Sign Out protocol to help reduce risk, increase effectiveness and improve clinician and patient satisfaction.

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• Up to 80% of serious medical errors involve miscommunication during handoffs (Solet et al 2005)
• Up to 24% of ED malpractice claims involve faulty handoffs (Cheung et al 2010)
• Typical verbal with note-taking style handoffs had high rates of data loss (D. Pothier, et al 2005)
• Written form with verbal exchange = > minimal data loss (D. Pothier, et al 2005)

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Each of the key components of Safer Sign Out is designed to decrease vulnerability and provide high reliability to the physician sign out process.

Initially developed for the emergency department setting, this process can be applied to other physician clinical areas.

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Download Professionally Designed Tools

Use these tools to help launch & maintain a safer sign out process at your hospital

• Introduction Presentation
• Safer Sign Out Form
• Success Tips Poster
• ABEM PI Tracker Sheet

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Simple Steps for Implementation

1. Recruit a Physician Champion to help lead
2. Educate your physicians & nurses
3. Use a professionally designed sign out form
4. Utilize the sign out form to aid with QA
5. Share your success

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National attention is now focused on Safer Sign Out. The ACEP Quality Improvement & Patient Safety Section (QIPS), the Maryland Patient Safety Center (MPSC) and Emergency Medicine Patient Safety Foundation (EMPSF) have teamed up to further innovate and share this tool with the nation’s 5000 emergency departments.

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Need a physician leader to present to your administrative team or physicians?

Reach your physicians and leadership teams with the right messages, practical experience, and first-hand knowledge of local and multi-hospital implementations.

Contact us to arrange for a practicing emergency physician and safety expert to come to your hospital and get you started.

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