Clinical shift handoffs in Singapore: A three-phase prospective

A clinical shift handoff can be considered as a three-phase process, consisting of pre-handoff, handoff communication, and post-handoff. The majority of studies on clinical handoffs focused on the handoff communication. There is limited literature on how pre-handoff and post-handoff activities are conducted. This study aims to understand the handoff practice in a public hospital in Singapore from the three-phase process’ point of view, to identify potential problems that may occur in such a setting, and to discuss potential interventions to enhance clinical shift handoffs.