An intervention to improve discharge summary completion rates within an Australian teaching hospital

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to improve patient discharge summary completion rates directly following patient hospital discharge. The primary reason for this was to improve continuity of patient care and reduce hospital readmissions within 28 days. Methods: The researcher benchmarked the discharge summary completion rate before conducting individual feedback directly to clinicians. Content was deemed complete if the information was present and appropriate. Partially completed, unclear, or absent information was deemed outstanding. This information was gained by looking at the hospital's patient records. The researcher benchmarked the readmission data. This data included establishing monthly patient discharges (excluding deaths) and the number of unplanned and unexpected readmissions within 28 days related to the primary admission. This information was used to compare pre-intervention to invention readmission rates. Results: The hospital's total discharge completion rate statistically changed from 91.92% pre-intervention to 99.18% postintervention, with the biggest change occurring in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G). O&G discharge completion rate improved from 46.94% pre-intervention to 98.84% post-intervention. A two sample t-test indicated that this difference was significant, t(2.0905) = 0.0458, p = .05. The readmission rates statistical changed from 0.49% pre-intervention to 0.26% during the intervention period. A two sample t-test indicated that this difference was significant, t(2.3679) = 0.04205, p = .05. Conclusions: This study provided evidence of the effectiveness of conducting audit and feedback sessions as it relates to patient discharge summaries and readmissions.

Using the trauma patient experience and evaluation of hospital discharge practices to inform practice change: A mixed methods study

“…Clinicians must complete discharge letters and nursing discharge checklists thoroughly, give them to the patient at hospital discharge and document the entire process in medical records . Discharge letters and nursing discharge checklists contain essential information about the patient's hospital admission and discharge instructions, however, are often incomplete (Gardiner, ). Discharge letters provide general practitioners (GP) information about the patient's recent hospital admission, including investigations, results and the required follow‐up treatments and appointments; they are the most common form of communication between inpatient setting and outpatient care providers (Kripalani, Jackson, Schnipper, & Coleman, ).…”

Development of discharge letter module onto care2x hospital information system

“…Various studies (Karaksha et al, 2010;Gardiner, 2016;Lenert et al, 2014;Li et al, 2011) have shown that low discharge summary finalisation rate is due to factors such as busy medical officers, inability to locate patient medical records after discharge, not prioritizing DL, and lack of understanding of the importance of completing the DS promptly and on its entirely, inadequate provision of infrastructure (computers). Alderton and Callen ( 2007) did a study to assess general practitioners" (GPs") satisfaction with the quality of information in electronic discharge letters and the timeliness of their receipt of the letters.…”