The Role of Communication and Patient Handovers in Pediatric Cardiac Care Centers

Optimal care of patients with complex congenital heart disease requires multidisciplinary collaboration and clear communication amongst team members on all levels and between all disciplines. Multidisciplinary case conferences, daily rounding communication, and the cardiac care center leadership structure are all opportunities to maintain communication. Accurate and efficient handovers are also essential to preserving this communication and collaboration. The handovers from the operating room to the cardiac intensive care and from the nursing unit to hospital discharge are two especially important transitions of care in pediatric cardiac care centers.