The Effects of an ISOBAR-Structured Patient Handover Conversation Between Rescue Services and Emergency Department Staff: The COPTER Trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Communication errors are the main cause of adverse events in emergency medicine, underscoring the importance of patient handover conversations. This study aims to assess the impact of implementing the ISOBAR handover protocol for patient transfer between emergency medical services and emergency department (ED) personnel.

Methods

We conducted a single-center implementation trial to evaluate the ISOBAR handover protocol efficacy in a German university hospital ED. We observed and analyzed 651 handover conversations involving adult patients, comparing those using the ISOBAR protocol to those following standard procedure without the protocol. Direct observation of handover processes was employed during alternating interventional periods across 6 trial phases. Primary

SUBMITTER: Nuernberger M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11852710 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature