The importance of the "hand-off" in health care with Christopher Landrigan

Did you know that sleep-deprived doctors are more likely to make critical errors or that poor communication during patient handoffs can jeopardize care? In this episode, Dr. Christopher Landrigan, Chief of General Pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital and co-founder of the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute, emphasizes the importance of systemic changes, improved communication, and financial support to enhance patient safety. Dr. Christopher Landrigan has spent his career addressing patient safety issues, particularly focusing on resident work hours and communication failures in hospitals. His early research revealed that sleep-deprived medical residents made significantly more errors, prompting changes to duty-hour policies to reduce risks to patients and providers. Recognizing that frequent handoffs during shorter shifts could lead to information loss, Dr. Landrigan co-developed the I-PASS system, a standardized communication framework to improve patient care transitions. I-PASS, now adapted for various specialties and roles, has been implemented across hospitals nationwide with support from organizations like the I-PASS Institute and regional partnerships such as the Kentucky Hospital Association. While progress has been made, Dr. Landrigan emphasizes the need for systemic change, behavior adaptation, and financial backing to scale successful patient safety programs across the complex health care system. Tune in to learn about Dr. Landrigan's work on resident hours and the I-PASS system's impact on patient safety! About CareQuest: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating an oral health care system that is accessible, equitable, and integrated. Learn more about how their advocacy, philanthropy, research, and education are creating a better oral health system at carequest.org/turnonthelights Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices