Thank you, thank you, thank you for the article, "Raising the SBAR: How Better Communication Improves Patient Outcomes" (March 2008).* Clinicians need to know that this format, which standardizes communications and prevents misunderstandings, is equally applicable when they communicate with managed care organizations and insurance companies. As a behavioral health clinical care manager, I speak with many nurses who call to precertify a patient's inpatient mental health care. Some spend several minutes describing the patient's childhood experiences and his interactions with family members before saying that the patient had attempted suicide that day. When nurses use the SBAR approach, they provide the most compelling and relevant information up front. After that, further background information may not even be needed, saving everyone's valuable time.

KATHY GRAHAM, RN, CARN, CMCN, MS

Harrisburg, Pa.

^*Individual subscribers can also access these articles free online at http://www.nursing2008.com. [Context Link]