I-PASS Institute to Implement Structured Handoff Communication Tools Across Minnesota-based Health System

Program assists care teams in highly reliable handoffs that drive improved patient outcomes and transfers of knowledge with fewer communication failures

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- I-PASS Patient Safety Institute, the gold standard for reducing preventable medical errors and patient harm for healthcare institutions nationwide, announced today a multiyear engagement with M Health Fairview to implement the I-PASS structured communication tools across the Minnesota-based health system.

In a recent report, The Joint Commission stated that sentinel events — episodes that result in severe or permanent patient harm or death — increased 78% from 2020 to 2022 and that communication breakdowns are the leading contributor to such events.

Implementing a universal handoff framework to support clear communication across care teams aligns with the health system’s ongoing patient safety initiative, Safety Always, targeting zero preventable harm. The I-PASS methodology for reliable care team communication and coordination will help sustain and advance the foundational investments and progress the system has made in its safety culture to date.

“The I-PASS Patient Safety Institute is excited to engage with M Health Fairview clinical, quality, and risk management leadership to move toward our shared goal of eliminating preventable patient harm by targeting a primary root cause of errors across the continuum of care: miscommunications and inadequate handoffs,” said Chris Landrigan, MD, MPH, Co-Founder of the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute and Chief of General Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The I-PASS handoff bundle enables hospitals and health systems to rapidly implement a comprehensive solution that empowers clinicians to reliably and uniformly communicate critical and often-missed patient information, thereby reducing the risk of adverse events. The cumulative effect is a more positive care experience for everyone — patients, families, and care teams.

“The I-PASS bundle makes it easier for caregivers to deliver high-quality, coordinated care, and creates a positive downstream impact on provider workflow and teamwork,” said Marshall Burkhart, Vice President of Client Engagement at the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute. “As we scale the I-PASS bundle across the health system, our team is excited to support the system’s efforts to improve the quality and experience of care for its patients and its providers and care teams.”

As a clinical leader in patient safety, I-PASS provides clients with an evidence-based blueprint for implementing a standardized procedure that reduces the potential vulnerabilities inherent in care transitions. The I-PASS methodology provides a common language for patient handoffs, and the I-PASS bundle can be customized to meet the unique needs of any hospital or health system.

For more information about working with the I-PASS Patient Safety Institute, please email [e-mail].

About I-PASS

The I-PASS Patient Safety Institute is a clinical leader in patient safety, enabling a standard of care for patient handoffs and closed-loop communication. Founded by clinicians in 2016, the I-PASS Institute leverages expert mentorship paired with technology and digital tools to scale the I-PASS methodology. The I-PASS Institute’s solution, the I-PASS Bundle, consists of three core technical components: I-PASS Training, I-PASS Assessment and Improvement, and I-PASS eVIEW. When institutions utilize these components in unison and with the guidance of an expert coach, they can reduce patient harm caused by miscommunication. I-PASS is currently implemented in more than 100 healthcare institutions across the continuum of care. Learn more at www.ipassinstitute.com.