Importance of Communication in Healthcare

Promoting effective communication among healthcare professionals to improve patient safety and quality of care This guide was prepared as part of the Victorian Quality Council’s project on improving communication among healthcare professionals. July 2010

VQC – A guide to improving communication among healthcare professionals

Published by the Hospital and Health Service Performance Division, Victorian Government
Department of Health, Melbourne, Victoria.
July 2010
This booklet is available in pdf format and may be downloaded from the VQC website at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/quality council

© Copyright State of Victoria, Department of Health, 2010
This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968
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VQC – A guide to improving communication among healthcare professionals

Introduction
Ineffective communication is reported as a significant contributing factor in medical errors and inadvertent patient harm. In addition to causing physical and emotional harm to patients and their families, adverse events are also financially costly. In Victoria, the direct cost of medical errors in public hospitals is estimated at half a billion dollars annually [1]. Today, healthcare is evermore complex and diverse, and improving communication among healthcare professionals is likely to support the safe delivery of patient care.
The objectives of this guide are to raise awareness and stimulate discussion and action around what your healthcare organisation, division or unit can do to improve communication and teamwork. The guide highlights the critical importance of, and common barriers to, effective communication in healthcare organisations and institutions, and points to some strategies and tools available to promote effective

References: The Joint Commission. 2007 National Patient Safety Goals. The Joint Commission, 2007. Leonard, M., Graham, S., and Bonacum, D. (2004). The human factor: the critical importance of effective teamwork and communication in providing safe care Salas, E., Almeida, S.A., Salisbury, M., et al. (2009). What are the critical success factors for team training in health care? Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 35(8): p Dunn, E.J., Mills, P.D., Neily, J., et al. (2007). Medical team training: applying crew resource management in the Veterans Health Administration Williams, R.G., Silverman, R., Schwind, C., et al. (2007). Surgeon information transfer and communication: factors affecting quality and efficiency of inpatient care Williams, M., Hevelone, N., Alban, R.F., et al. (2010). Measuring communication in the surgical ICU: better communication equals better care Haynes, A.B., Weiser, T.G., Berry, W.R., et al. (2009). A surgical safety checklist to reduce morbidity and mortality in a global population DeFontes, J. and Surbida, S. (2004). Preoperative Safety Briefing Project. The Permanente Journal,, 8(2): p Marshall, S., Harrison, J., and Flanagan, B. (2009). The teaching of a structured tool improves the clarity and content of interprofessional clinical communication Velji, K., Baker, G.R., Fancott, C., et al. (2008). Effectiveness of an Adapted SBAR Communication Tool for a Rehabilitation Setting O 'Mahony, S., Mazur, E., Charney, P., et al. (2007). Use of multidisciplinary rounds to simultaneously improve quality outcomes, enhance resident education, and shorten length of stay. J Gen Intern Med, 22(8): p. 1073-9. Stead, K., Kumar, S., Schultz, T.J., et al. (2009). Teams communicating through STEPPS. Weaver, S.J., Rosen, M.A., DiazGranadoa, D., et al. (2010). Does Teamwork Improve Performance in the Operating Room? A Multilevel Evaluation 7th ed. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. 1997. Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. 2005.