A key benefit of the use of whiteboards within medical facilities is improving communication between the medical care team, the patient, and concerned family members. In fact, communication errors contribute to 65% of all reported sentinel events within medical facilities. Dry-erase whiteboards in patients' rooms serve as a field-proven mean of communication easily accessed by both staff and family members. Important information concerning treatment schedules, daily goals, allergies, contact information, medication times, discharge information and care team members can be easily recorded and changed on a whiteboard. When the patient or family members have access to a whiteboard, communication is improved because a question is less likely to be overlooked or forgotten if a staff member is not immediately available to provide an answer. The infographic and links provided below show the important role whiteboards have on not only improving communication but overall patient/staff satisfaction and Press Ganey scores.
