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Australian Health Review Australian Health Review Society
Journal of the Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association
RESEARCH ARTICLE

ISBAR for clear communication: one hospital’s experience spreading the message

Monica A. Finnigan A C , Stuart D. Marshall B and Brendan T. Flanagan B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Southern Health, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.

B Southern Health, Southern Health Simulation and Skills Centre, PO Box 72, East Bentleigh, VIC 3165, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: monica.finnigan@southernhealth.org.au

Australian Health Review 34(4) 400-404 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH09823
Submitted: 11 August 2009  Accepted: 26 November 2009   Published: 25 November 2010

Abstract

All health services rely on efficient and accurate communication between health professionals to ensure safe and effective patient care. Our health service introduced a standardised technique, ISBAR (Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, Request), for telephone communication. We describe and evaluate the implementation of this project; evaluation was undertaken using program logic mapping. Recommendations for other health services planning to introduce communication tools into routine clinical use are also provided.


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