---
title: AHRQ Recognizes I-PASS as the Leading Evidence-Based Handoff Tool
description: Discover how AHRQ’s latest report highlights I-PASS as the leading structured handoff tool with the strongest evidence for improving patient safety outcomes. Learn more about the 10-year study findings and future innovations.
image: https://news.ipassinstitute.com/hubfs/IPA-1675-AHRQ%20Graphic_v2.png
---

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[News](https://news.ipassinstitute.com/news/tag/news) May 6, 2025

## AHRQ Recognizes I-PASS as the Leading Evidence-Based Handoff Tool

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) identifies I-PASS as the leading structured handoff tool, citing stronger evidence of its effectiveness compared to alternatives like SBAR. In a recent report, AHRQ assessed the effectiveness of structured handoff protocols for improving patient safety outcomes across 10 years of clinical evidence. Analyzing studies from January 2013 to mid-2024, the review focused on within-unit inpatient handoffs and identified 16 eligible articles (14 articles from 13 primary studies), most conducted in academic teaching hospitals and evaluating physician-to-physician handoffs. AHRQ found moderate-certainty evidence that the I-PASS structured handoff tool improves clinical outcomes and reduces medical errors. I-PASS was judged to have stronger certainty of evidence than SBAR, supported by large, multicenter studies and the most developed set of implementation strategies and tools. In contrast, implementing SBAR with fidelity was noted to be challenging, with a lower certainty and quality of evidence. As the frequency of within-unit handoffs increases, the report highlights the importance of optimizing structured tools like I-PASS for broader settings and future integration with AI and predictive analytics.

Read the study to learn more: [https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/related_files/structured-handoff-rapid-research.pdf](https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/sites/default/files/related_files/structured-handoff-rapid-research.pdf)

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