ObjectiveTo assess general practitioners' perceptions of the effectiveness of facsimile notification of their patients being admitted from the emergency department (ED), and its adequacy in terms of patient confidentiality. DesignQuestionnaire survey, before and after the initiation of facsimile notification. SettingA provincial community of approximately 120000 residents in Victoria. Main outcome measuresChanges in GPs' ratings of communication with the ED; acceptability of facsimile notification; and concerns about patient confidentiality. Results77 of 85 GPs participated; only 44 (57.1%) returned both questionnaires. ED‐GP communication ratings of “adequate” or better increased from 48% to 100% (P<0.05). The proportion of GPs who were notified of all admissions increased from 0 to 41% (P< 0.05). The proportion of GPs who preferred facsimile for notification increased from 39% to 68% (P<0.05). Most GPs found the initiative acceptable and reservations about confidentiality decreased from 36% to 16% (P<0.05). 38 of the 887 patients admitted from the ED (4.3%) refused facsimile notification. ConclusionsFacsimile improves ED‐GP communications and may, in turn, improve the quality and continuity of patient care. Informed consent should be obtained from all patients.
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