A simple, structured handover system can make surgery safer.
A simple, structured handover system can make surgery safer.
New research led by RCSI, published in JAMA Network Open, shows that a straightforward four-step handover system - SIPS (Sick patients; ISBAR; Prioritise; Summarise) - improves patient safety in surgical settings.
The study, which was supported by The MPS Foundation and Bon Secours Hospital, Dublin, was conducted across two tertiary hospitals. Through their evaluation of more than 2,200 patients, the researchers found that introducing SIPS led to:
Better patient vital signs at 12- and 24-hours post-handover
Fewer handover-related safety incidents, as reported by staff
No increase in handover duration, demonstrating the system’s practicality in busy clinical environments
Importantly, the SIPS system was widely adopted and sustained over time, offering strong evidence that standardising handover communication can enhance surgical safety while integrating seamlessly into routine practice.
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