Communication and collaboration are major concerns related to quality and safe
patient care in healthcare organizations across the country. Complex healthcare
organizations are at greater risk of adverse occurrences occurring to patients. This is due
to ineffective communication and inefficient collaboration among healthcare workers,
because of the different aspects associated with any one or multiple departments.
Fewster-Thuente and Velsor-Friedrich (2008) reported; “The Joint Commission stated
70% to 80% of all patient safety issues were due to lack of effective interpersonal
interactions between healthcare workers” (p. 40). The Joint Commission, along with the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, focus on quality and safe patient care by
providing specific standards of practice with which healthcare organizations must
comply.