Dr. Jeffrey Rothschild from Newton-Wellesley Hospital spoke on a recent episode of Freakonomics, M.D., about the importance of improving communications during transitions of care to reduce the rate of adverse events. The I-PASS method was a prominent part of the conversation due to its success in ensuring that critical patient information is shared throughout the handoff process. Listen to the podcast (beginning at 23:19 for discussion of I-PASS) to hear more about:

• Emerging evidence suggesting that shorter clinical shifts reduce opportunities for safety events
• How shorter shifts result in more frequent patient handoffs, introducing more opportunities for patient information to be lost and increasing the likelihood for medical errors
• Why communication failures are one of the more common causes of harm to patients
• How the I-PASS methodology can reduce patient harm by improving communication between clinicians during transitions of care