Whiteboards Improve Patient Communication

Whiteboards HELP CAREGIVERS IMPROVE PATIENT COMMUNICATION Infographics published by Magnatag Visible Systems based on a study in the Journal of Hospital Medicine, Vol 5, No 4, April 2010 Communication barriers are a problem in hospitals. According to a Joint Commission study, communication errors contribute to 65% of reported sentinel events. 65% About 80% of nurses, house staff and attendings agree that whiteboards play a role in improving patient care, team work and communication. + Surveys show responsibility for information on patient whiteboards falls on nurses. Family Contact Information Nurses, house staff and attendings surveyed agreed that family contact information is most important followed by daily goal and anticipated discharge. Daily Goals Anticipated Discharge #1 Primary bed side nurse Nurses feel that primary bed side nurse provider information is most useful, followed by patient care assistant and attending. information #2 Patient care assistant #3 Attending o Peisat Nums Paisat Nans Scheduk Note Scheduk Experts say creating a board design template ensures that all vital information is communicated. HOSPITAL +HOSPITAL Patient Name Schedule Notes Dr Sehgal concludes that high yield information kept up to date is more important than highly detailed information. PATIENT NEEDS CARE- GIVER NEEDS A pilot program by Dr Sehgal at UC SF recommends specific training to make the board culturally patient centered not provider centered. The effective use of color, shape and size has been shown to have a positive impact on patient messaging. 80% 73% INTERPRETIVE ERRORS WILLINGNESS TO READ COMPREHENSION 35-50% COST BENEFIT: Study show improvements of 5% in overall institution satisfaction and increased Press Ganey scores. Whiteboards for hospitals www.magnatag.com/hospital be found at Source: Sehgal, N. L., Green, A., Vidyarthi, A. R., Blegen, M. A. & Wachter, R. M. (2010) Patient Whiteboards as a Communication Tool in the Hospital Setting: A Survey of Practices and Recommendations. Journal of Hospital Medicine, 5(4), 234-239.