Home | I-PASS Institute

Unstructured Handoffs Lead to Medical Errors

The structure and standardization of patient handoffs between clinical staff starts at the organizational level. The more disorganized the handoff process is, the greater the impact on patients and front-line clinicians.

Communication Breakdowns

Most institutions don’t have a formal, standardized process centered around clinician communication

Technology Silos

EHRs aren’t ready-made to enable a seamless handoff and often lack synchronization between platforms

Common Challenges Can Become Big Problems

Interruptions, distractions, and insufficient staffing lead to hurried handoffs, medical errors, and costly overtime

A Proven Blueprint for Seamless Care Transitions

Developed by clinicians, for clinicians, I-PASS helps hospitals and health systems apply an evidence-based approach to reducing miscommunication in patient handoffs.

Hands-on Help

From assessment to implementation, I-PASS Coaches and Program Managers guide you every step of the way

A Culture of Patient Safety

I-PASS has the foundational tools, road map, and expertise proven to help overcome organizational barriers and aid in behavior change

EHR Integration

The I-PASS eVIEW platform works with any EHR as a read-only interface

Reduced Errors and Costs

As many as 300 adverse events can be prevented each year – a cost savings of up to $8.1 million annually¹

Become a High-Reliability Organization

Proven steps to reduce patient harm and improve team collaboration, focus, and communication

Testimonials

Shilpa J. Patel, MD

Professor, Dept of Pediatrics, University of Hawaii

“The I-PASS Handoff Bundle has had an enormous impact in improving communication amongst resident learners as well as attending level physicians and other health care workers. It can be adapted to fit the needs of almost any specialty as well as both straightforward and complex patient care situations. Within my own pediatric hospitalist division, we have many stories of how using the I-PASS bundle helped to improve care, workflow, and prevent harm.”

Zia Bismilla

Director PHM Fellowship, Hospital for Sick Children

“I-PASS is a unique blend of patient safety, quality and education. Having implemented numerous educational interventions over the years, no curricula has been as effective as I-PASS. By empowering those on the ground with the tools to communicate effectively, it's effects have been widespread and long-lasting.”

Meg Kirkley, MD, MPH

Pediatric Chief Resident, University of Colorado Pediatric Residency Program

“IPASS has become part of our onboarding process for pediatric residents, who bring this structured framework for handoffs to all subsequent care environments. Our hospitalists have adopted IPASS as well, and it interfaces with our EPIC electronic medical record to generate IPASS format reports automatically.”

Becky Blankenburg, MD, MPH

Associate Chair of Education Pediatrics Residency Program Director Standford School of Education

“I have seen first-hand how the I-PASS framework has helped expose potential patient safety errors, and saved patients from having to experience these errors. As a residency program director, I have seen how easy it is to teach and implement. This is the single most effective patient safety educational bundle that I have seen in my 9 years of program leadership! ”

Chris Peltier, MD, FAAP

Director, Community Section, Division of General and Community, Pediatrics Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

"I strongly support I-PASS. With the transition to resident shift work, the number of hand-offs between the house staff has greatly increased. I-PASS had improved this process and made patient safety more effective at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. ”

Peggy Markle

Pediatric Patient Advisory CouncilNational Military Medical Center, Bethesda

“The IPASS procedures, videos, brochures, and supporting educational information for patients and their families and the medical team training are together changing the way we treat patients. As a caregiver, I am grateful we are treated in a facility that is implementing IPASS. It is reassuring patients and bringing a new level of confidence, communication and compassion to our medical team. ”

“The I-PASS Handoff Bundle has had an enormous impact in improving communication amongst resident learners as well as attending level physicians and other health care workers. It can be adapted to fit the needs of almost any specialty as well as both straightforward and complex patient care situations. Within my own pediatric hospitalist division, we have many stories of how using the I-PASS bundle helped to improve care, workflow, and prevent harm.”

— Shilpa J. Patel, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Quality Officer, Hawaii Pacific Health

“I-PASS is a unique blend of patient safety, quality and education. Having implemented numerous educational interventions over the years, no curricula has been as effective as I-PASS. By empowering those on the ground with the tools to communicate effectively, it's effects have been widespread and long-lasting.”

— Zia Bismilla, Director PHM Fellowship, Hospital for Sick Children

“IPASS has become part of our onboarding process for pediatric residents, who bring this structured framework for handoffs to all subsequent care environments. Our hospitalists have adopted IPASS as well, and it interfaces with our EPIC electronic medical record to generate IPASS format reports automatically.”

— Meg Kirkley, MD, MPH, Pediatric Chief Resident, University of Colorado Pediatric Residency Program

“I have seen first-hand how the I-PASS framework has helped expose potential patient safety errors, and saved patients from having to experience these errors. As a residency program director, I have seen how easy it is to teach and implement. This is the single most effective patient safety educational bundle that I have seen in my 9 years of program leadership! ”

— Becky Blankenburg, MD, MPH, Associate Chair of Education Pediatrics Residency Program Director Standford School of Education

"I strongly support I-PASS. With the transition to resident shift work, the number of hand-offs between the house staff has greatly increased. I-PASS had improved this process and made patient safety more effective at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. ”

— Chris Peltier, MD, FAAP, Director, Community Section, Division of General and Community, Pediatrics Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

“The IPASS procedures, videos, brochures, and supporting educational information for patients and their families and the medical team training are together changing the way we treat patients. As a caregiver, I am grateful we are treated in a facility that is implementing IPASS. It is reassuring patients and bringing a new level of confidence, communication and compassion to our medical team. ”

— Peggy Markle, Pediatric Patient Advisory CouncilNational Military Medical Center, Bethesda

Candello, a division of CRICO is committed to illuminating the path forward for health care executives and clinical leaders, shedding light on the what, where, how, and why of patient harm. By partnering with captive and commercial insurers across the country, including organizations associated with the Harvard medical community, Candello created a national medical malpractice data collaborative representing one-third of U.S. MPL claims for shared learning, clinical risk intelligence products, and solutions.

Improving Communication Saves Lives

The I-PASS methodology, solutions, and services have been proven to reduce patient harm by up to 70%. Our tailored trainings, personalized implementation plans, and professional coaching are designed to help institutions of any size transform patient safety communication.

Unstructured Handoffs Lead to Medical Errors

The structure and standardization of patient handoffs between clinical staff starts at the organizational level. The more disorganized the handoff process is, the greater the impact on patients and front-line clinicians.

Communication Breakdowns

Technology Silos

Common Challenges Can Become Big Problems

I-PASS eVIEW Now Available in Major EHRs

A Proven Blueprint for Seamless Care Transitions

Developed by clinicians, for clinicians, I-PASS helps hospitals and health systems apply an evidence-based approach to reducing miscommunication in patient handoffs.

Hands-on Help

A Culture of Patient Safety

EHR Integration

Reduced Errors and Costs

Become a High-Reliability Organization

Testimonials

Shilpa J. Patel, MD

Zia Bismilla

Meg Kirkley, MD, MPH

Becky Blankenburg, MD, MPH

Chris Peltier, MD, FAAP

Peggy Markle

— Shilpa J. Patel, MD, Senior Vice President, Chief Quality Officer, Hawaii Pacific Health

— Zia Bismilla, Director PHM Fellowship, Hospital for Sick Children

— Meg Kirkley, MD, MPH, Pediatric Chief Resident, University of Colorado Pediatric Residency Program

— Becky Blankenburg, MD, MPH, Associate Chair of Education Pediatrics Residency Program Director Standford School of Education

"I strongly support I-PASS. With the transition to resident shift work, the number of hand-offs between the house staff has greatly increased. I-PASS had improved this process and made patient safety more effective at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. ”

— Chris Peltier, MD, FAAP, Director, Community Section, Division of General and Community, Pediatrics Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

— Peggy Markle, Pediatric Patient Advisory CouncilNational Military Medical Center, Bethesda

I-PASS Featured in the Journal of Patient Safety

Backed by Clinical Evidence

The I-PASS Handoff Program has a rich history of data demonstrating its ability to transform hospital communication practices and improve outcomes.

Who is using I-PASS?

Our Partners

Let's Talk Virtual Assessment

I-PASS VP Marshall Burkhart is ready to help you get your handoff communication improvement program started.

Useful Links

Evidence

Get in Touch