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Communication essential to improve patient transfer out of ICU

High-quality patient transfer from the ICU to the hospital ward requires standardized and multimodal communication, access to resources and an institutional culture that encourages continuity of care, according to research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

“The transfer of patients from the ICU to a hospital ward is one of the most challenging, high-risk and inefficient transitions of care. ... Understanding patient and provider perspectives is vital to guiding efforts to improve transfers from ICU to hospital ward,” Chloe de Grood, BSc, from the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and colleagues wrote.

De Grood and colleagues evaluated patient and provider perspectives on barriers and facilitators to high-quality transfers to identify ways to improve the transfer process. The researchers consulted and interviewed 35 participants, including patients (n = 10), family members of patients (n = 8), ICU providers (n = 8) and ward providers (n = 9).

Participants described three themes that could improve or hinder patient transfers, including resource availability, communication and institutional culture.

To improve ICU transfers, participants suggested that:

• communication tools should be standardized and streamlined to facilitate open, continuous communication between providers and patients and providers;
• multimodal communication, including verbal and written tools, should be used to ensure timely, accurate, durable and mutually reinforcing information transfer; and
• procedures to manage delays in transferring patients from the ICU to the hospital ward should be developed to ensure coordination and continuity of care.

“Patients and providers have distinct ... but largely overlapping perspectives,” de Grood and colleagues concluded.

“Subthemes described by providers were process oriented (i.e., focused on process, protocol and outcomes), whereas subthemes described by patients and their family members reflected personal experiences,” they added. – by Alaina Tedesco

Disclosure: Leigh reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.