handoff

Handoff is the process of transferring responsibility, authority, or control of a task or patient from one agent to another to maintain continuity and safety. The term is used across domains such as telecommunications, healthcare, and computing, and it implies a coordinated exchange of information so that the receiving party can assume duties without interruption.

In telecommunications and mobile networks, a handoff, or handover, occurs when a device moves from one cell or base station to another while an active call or data session continues. The goal is seamless service. Handoffs may be hard (break-before-make) or soft (make-before-break), depending on technology; different standards (GSM, CDMA, LTE) implement variations to balance latency, signaling, and reliability.

In healthcare, a handoff describes the transfer of patient information and responsibility during shift changes, bed moves, or team transitions. Critical data—current diagnoses, medications, recent tests, and ongoing plans—must be accurately communicated to avoid errors. Practices include standardized protocols, such as SBAR or checklists, use of electronic health records, and read-back confirmation; poor handoffs are a common patient safety risk and subject to quality-improvement guidance.

In computing and information technology, handoff can refer to transferring a task, session, or processor context from one thread, core, or server to another. This occurs during context switches, load balancing in distributed systems, or handoff of a user request between microservices. Effective handoffs minimize latency, preserve state, and ensure correct sequencing of operations.