Evidence map›Paper›PMID 9522794›Full record

ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)1998

Communication behaviours in a hospital setting: an observational study.

E Coiera, V Tombs

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 1998. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 100 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
100citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

100 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. The impact of mobile technology on teamwork and communication in hospitals: a systematic review.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA · 2019
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  10. The use of wireless e-mail to improve healthcare team communication.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIA
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  13. [Handover protocols in the emergency department].Medizinische Klinik, Intensivmedizin und Notfallmedizin · 2024
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  14. Use of the Vula App to refer patients in the West Coast District: A descriptive exploratory qualitative study.South African family practice : official journal of the South African Academy of Family Practice/Primary Care · 2022
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  16. Investigating the effect of the Vula Mobile app on coordination of care and capacity building in district health services, Cape Town: Convergent mixed methods study.South African family practice : official journal of the South African Academy of Family Practice/Primary Care · 2021
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40 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

E CoieraHewlett-Packard Laboratories, Bristol. ewc@pobox.com
V Tombs

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAn exploratory study to identify patterns of communication behaviour among hospital based healthcare workers.

designNon-participatory, qualitative observational study.

settingBritish district general hospital. SUBJECTS: Eight doctors and two nurses.

resultsCommunication behaviours resulted in an interruptive workplace, which seemed to contribute to inefficiency in work practice. Medical staff generated twice as many interruptions via telephone and paging systems as they received. Hypothesised causes for this level of interruption include a bias by staff to interruptive communication methods, a tendency to seek information from colleagues in preference to printed materials, and poor provision of information in support of contacting individuals in specific roles. Staff were observed to infer the intention of messages based on insufficient information, and clinical teams demonstrated complex communication patterns, which could lead to inefficiency.

conclusionThe results suggest a number of improvements to processes or technologies. Staff may need instruction in appropriate use of communication facilities. Further, excessive emphasis on information technology may be misguided since much may be gained by supporting information exchange through communication technology. Voicemail and email with acknowledgment, mobile communication, improved support for role based contact, and message screening may be beneficial in the hospital environment.

Indexed as

CommunicationAttitude of Health PersonnelDecision MakingEnglandHealth Services ResearchHospital Communication SystemsHospitals, DistrictHospitals, GeneralHumansInterprofessional RelationsMedical Staff, HospitalNursing Staff, HospitalPersonnel, Hospital

Identifiers

PMID9522794
PMCPMC28475

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.