Shift-to-shift handoff effects on patient safety and outcomes: a systematic review.

Mardis M, Davis J, Benningfield B, et al. Am J Med Qual. 2015 Oct 30; [Epub ahead of print].

This systematic review examined the effect of handoff improvement interventions on patient outcomes. Studies were so heterogenous that authors could not reliably synthesize results, and they recommend more rigorous prospective controlled studies with pre-specified patient outcomes. A previous WebM&M commentary discusses strategies to enhance handoffs.