Handover: how is patient care transferred safely

When a patient seeks health care, information about their health often needs to be communicated from one health professional to another. This information could be in the form of a referral letter from a general practitioner to a specialist or information about an inpatient communicated among many hospital staff at shift changes and within shifts. This process is commonly known as 'clinical handover'. At any point where patient information is transferred, clinical handover occurs. Importantly, handover also marks the transfer of accountability and responsibility for patient care from one health professional to another. To ensure patient care is safe, clinical handover must be clear and effective for every patient, every time.