On September 28, 2022, I took a step that changed everything. While walking to meet colleagues, I tripped and fell down a staircase, rupturing both patellar tendons in my knees.

After successful emergency surgery, I was transferred to a rehab hospital. During a first physical therapy session a week later, my legs buckled and I re-ruptured both tendons. Back to surgery. Back to the beginning.

So, what happened? A failed handoff. Miscommunication between my surgeon at the first hospital and the rehab team at the second hospital about my weight-bearing restrictions.

I’ve learned that my injury was unique: there are apparently no reported cases of two bilateral patellar tendon ruptures within two weeks.

But the communication failure that caused it is tragically common.

70% of preventable patient harm events stem from failed handoffs.

But as the author and marketer Seth Godin says, “The best way to complain is to fix things.”

I'm turning my healthcare crisis into an opportunity for change.

To reimagine how we conduct patient handoffs. To lower that 70% number. To increase safe and effective transitions between care teams.

This is why Hand-off exists: to ensure no patient becomes a victim of preventable communication failures.

Cheo Rose-Washington,
Co-Founder & CEO, Hand-off

‍