title: Transitions in Care: When Words Can Save Lives.
abstract: Among the myriad of skills required of emergency medicine (EM) physicians, communicating concise and effective transitions in care is one of the most critical for patient safety. EM physicians transition care daily, both within their own department and among other specialties. We will discuss the crucial link between care transitions and patient safety, the processes and challenges in the hand-over exchange, and recommend an approach to improve your current system with transitions in care.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: P Charles
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Inboriboon
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bridgford
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D062209:Patient Handoff; D061214:Patient Safety; D058996:Quality Improvement