Why is casualty handover so important?

“Handover of care is one of the most perilous procedures in medicine, and when carried out improperly can be a major contributory factor to subsequent error and harm to patients.” 

Professor Sir John Lilleyman, Medical Director, National Patient Safety Agency, UK

The aim of a handover 

Is to achieve efficient communications of high-quality clinical information at any time when the responsibility for a casualty care is transferred, contributing to optimal casualty care.  

What is ATMIST?

ATMIST is an acronym designed to enhance the casualty handover by providing key points within a structure.  

The individual letters stand for; 

Age 

Time of the incident or onset of symptoms 

Mechanism of injury or medical complaint 

Injuries or condition 

Signs 

Treatments 

The above forms the framework for a concise casualty details template that sets out the background of the condition, their status and the details of any care. The ATMIST short and relevant format allows first responders to time effectively record details and communicate them in an organised and structured manner. Correctly applied, it is a valuable tool in our quest to maximise survival and minimise suffering.

Where does ATMIST fit within the Smart Triage system? 

Recently the UK made changes to the way it triages with the introduction of two new triage flow charts. As part of this work the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) was removed from triage assessments. On our existing triage tags the RTS takes up two of the eight panels on the tags.   Removing the RTS gave us a chance to redesign Smart Tag™. Our latest Smart Tag™, Smart Tag™ ATMIST, uses ATMIST as the format to record casualty details. Clearly presented, we believe this will be a positive step in casualty handover, especially during a multiple casualty event. 

Find out more

Our Smart Tag™ ATMIST uses a proven design developed over two decades of emergency first response experience, providing medical personnel with a structured and concise casualty history to assist in a smooth handover and benefit future medical interventions. Its high visibility, simple functionality and compatibility, with all the latest triage flowcharts, make ATMIST a valuable addition to any first responder’s triage toolkit. 

To find out more, please contact TSG Associates today by clicking here.