​​​​​​​​Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

The SBAR (Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation) technique provides a framework for communication between members of the health care team about a patient’s condition.

• S = Situation (a concise statement of the problem)
• B = Background (pertinent and brief information related to the situation)
• A = Assessment (analysis and considerations of options — what you found/think)
• R = Recommendation (action requested/recommended — what you want)

SBAR is an easy-to-remember, concrete mechanism useful for framing any conversation, especially critical ones, requiring a clinician’s immediate attention and action. It allows for an easy and focused way to set expectations for what will be communicated and how between members of the team, which is essential for developing teamwork and fostering a culture of patient safety.

Free Download Printable SBAR Template Word & PDF

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Background
Michael Leonard, MD, Physician Leader for Patient Safety, along with colleagues Doug Bonacum and Suzanne Graham at Kaiser Permanente of Colorado (Evergreen, Colorado, USA) developed this technique. The SBAR technique has been implemented widely at health systems such as Kaiser Permanente.