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

This paper describes and evaluates the implementation of a standardised technique, ISBAR (Identify, Situation, Background, Assessment, Request), for telephone communication in a health service, and makes recommendations for other health services planning to introduce communication tools into routine clinical use.

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.