Handoff is the process of transferring information, authority and responsibility for a patient during transition of care. Both written and verbal handoff are important and each has different purpose. The objective was to study handoff scenario in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar.

 

An observational cum record based method was used to study hand off scenario. The study revealed that quality of handoff was good in intensive care area and inpatient areas as compared to emergency medicine. The quality of patient handoff and chances of miscommunication were associated with number of patients under care during shift, number of reporting physicians, duration of handoff and environment. There is a need for introduction of standardized handoff.