Background

  • Work by our team using the ITCAS framework  has shown that post-operative handover is a weakness in information transfer and communication during surgical care. The Post-Operative Handover Assessment Tool (POHAT) is a checklist of essential information items for post-operative handover that can be used to address this weakness. This tool was developed using semi-structured interviews and an extensive Delphi consensus process.
  • POHAT can be used to assess the completeness of post-operative handover and has been validated in an international multi-centre study.

Resources

Postoperative Handover Proforma (PNG) 

Selected bibliography

Nagpal K, Abboudi M, Fischler L, Schmidt T, Vats A, Manchanda C, Sevdalis N, Scheidegger D, Vincent C, Moorthy K. Evaluation of postoperative handover using a tool to assess information transfer and teamwork. Ann Surg. 2011;253(4):831-7. Pubmed

Nagpal K, Arora S, Abboudi M, Vats A, Wong HW, Manchanda C, Vincent C, Moorthy K. Postoperative handover: problems, pitfalls, and prevention of error. Ann Surg. 2010;252(1):171-6. Pubmed

Contact

Please contact Krishna Moorthy for further information