The Kentucky Hospital Association (KHA) has partnered with I-PASS in an effort to reduce medical errors via the I-PASS Kentucky Hospital Association Transitions and Communication in Hospitals (KHATCH) programme.

The KHATCH initiative aims to enhance patient safety by implementing the I-PASS handoff bundle, which is claimed to minimise clinician miscommunication and adverse events while improving treatment outcomes.

Over an eight-year period, KHA will fund this programme for its member hospitals, which include more than 128 healthcare facilities in Kentucky.

The goal is to establish a 'universal language' for patient care transitions in the state.

The partners aim to address threats to patient safety following the Covid-19 pandemic, including staffing shortages and financial losses.

They have identified communication breakdowns as a significant cause of adverse events at clinics across the US.

The I-PASS bundle includes coaching, consultation and technological tools such as I-PASS eVIEW, a digital written handoff tool integrated with electronic health records, which aim to streamline processes and improve the quality of care.

KHA Clinical Strategy and Transformation vice-president Deborah Campbell said: “We recognise that improved communication is integral to advancing patient care quality and mitigating known drivers of employee turnover and burnout.

“The KHATCH programme will provide our members with funded access to a valid, reliable tool for improving patient safety and establish a universal language for care transitions at institutions across the Commonwealth.”

The I-PASS Patient Safety Institute offers a standard of care for handoffs and communication.

The I-PASS Bundle is currently in use at more than 100 healthcare institutions.

I-PASS client engagement vice-president Marshall Burkhart said: “We applaud the Kentucky Hospital Association’s leadership in advancing the health care industry by demonstrating commitment to improving patient safety.

“This statewide programme is the monumental step towards creating a national model for reliable handoff communication among clinicians, establishing the foundation for systemic change in patient safety."