Understanding Cross-Team Communication Through Shared Cognition in EMS to ED Handoffs

Abstract

Emergency care depends on effective cross-team communication (CTC), yet handoffs between Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the Emergency Department (ED) remain a significant source of preventable error and adverse medical outcomes. Although protocols and documentation exist, handoffs rely heavily on verbal exchange and fragmented records that fail to support shared cognition. This dissertation focuses on designing intelligent ubiquitous interfaces that improve CTC in safety-critical environments. Using EMS to ED handoffs as a representative case, I investigate how multimodal interfaces can capture, structure, and present critical information at appropriate times. Augmented reality head-mounted displays serve as a platform to evaluate visual, auditory, spatial, and speech-based interactions. My work combines field studies, participatory design, and simulation-based evaluation to provide empirical evidence for improving CTC. Preliminary findings suggest that workflow-aware, modality-sensitive interfaces can improve information alignment and situational awareness, with the potential to reduce preventable errors and improve patient safety in time-critical care.

Highlights

• Information must be glanceable, role-relevant, and timed to the moment of need during high-acuity care.
• Coordination support matters most when teams assemble dynamically and communication is fragmented.
• Trust in automation depends on transparency, confirmation, and clear boundaries, not full autonomy.

Citation

@inproceedings{segal2026crossteam,
  title={Understanding Cross-Team Communication Through Shared Cognition in EMS to ED Handoffs},
  author={Segal, Jonathan Isaac},
  booktitle={Proceedings of the 2026 ACM Interactive Health Conference},
  series={IH '26},
  articleno={96},
  pages={1--5},
  year={2026},
  publisher={ACM},
  doi={10.1145/3786579.3801797}
}