Strategies or tools that can facilitate information sharing and effective communication

R (Recommendation): State clearly what you need from the recipient (e.g., "I need you to come assess the patient immediately and order a CT angiogram").

This structured format minimizes misinterpretation and reduces the time required for decision-making by forcing the sender to organize information logically and the receiver to focus on actionable content.

2. Electronic Health Record (EHR) Interoperability 💻

EHR interoperability refers to the ability of different healthcare information systems, devices, and applications to access, exchange, integrate, and cooperatively use data in a seamless manner across organizational boundaries.

Function: True interoperability allows a primary care physician to instantly view recent lab results from an outside hospital or enables a pharmacist to check a patient's medication history documented by a specialist in a different clinic.

Facilitation: It facilitates effective communication by creating a single, unified source of truth for patient data. This eliminates the risk of using outdated information, prevents redundant testing, and ensures all members of the care team—regardless of their discipline or location—are working from the same, most current dataset. This is essential for coordinating care, managing complex chronic conditions, and preventing medication errors.

Sample Answer

Two key strategies that facilitate information sharing and effective communication in interprofessional healthcare settings are the use of Standardized Communication Tools (like SBAR) and the implementation of Electronic Health Record (EHR) Interoperability.

1. Standardized Communication Tools (SBAR) 🗣️

Standardized communication tools ensure that critical information is transmitted completely, accurately, and efficiently, regardless of the individuals involved or their professional background. The most widely adopted example is SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation).

S (Situation): Briefly state what is happening right now (e.g., "The patient is experiencing sudden onset shortness of breath").

B (Background): Provide relevant history (e.g., "82-year-old post-op hip replacement with history of cardiac failure").

A (Assessment): Present what you think the problem is (e.g., "I suspect a pulmonary embolism, as oxygen saturation is dropping rapidly").