Improved communication between hospital and general practice using online patient discharge summaries

Abstract

We compared the information contained in traditional 'To Take Out (TTO)' discharge prescriptions and dictated letters with the information in discharge summaries from an online system. We also investigated the satisfaction of general practitioners (GPs) with the two types of discharge communication. One group of 30 patients were discharged using traditional TTOs and dictated letters and a second group of 30 patients was discharged using the computer generated summary. The summaries were assessed against the 17 criteria of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. The number of criteria met in the conventional summaries was 10.5 (SD 4.3); the number of criteria met in the computer-generated summaries was 14 (SD 1.2), which was significantly higher (Po0.002). Twelve of the 30 traditional TTOs (40%) were considered illegible. The response rate to the questionnaire was 86%. Eighty-three percent of responding GPs preferred computer generated discharge summaries. The computer generated discharge summaries largely satisfied the guidelines and were enthusiastically received by the GPs surveyed.

Quality of psychiatric discharge summaries: a service evaluation following the introduction of an electronic discharge summary system

“…This result contradicts the findings of other audits, including that by Scullard et al (2007) and Maslove et al (2009).…”

“…Each standard was given a score of 0 (absent) or 1 (present). This scoring method is similar to the one used by Scullard et al (2007). For each discharge summary, the sum of the scores of all standards was calculated as the total scores.…”

“…One potential benefit is a reduction in the delay in information reaching other professionals (O'Leary et al 2009) and, as such, an improved link between primary and secondary care (Scullard et al 2007).We know that in our trust, following the introduction of electronic discharge (e-discharge) summaries,~99% of discharge summaries are now sent within 24 hours of discharge. However, there may be other factors influencing the quality of e-discharge summaries, such as the design and the flexibility of the software used (e.g.…”

Hospital discharge information communication and prescribing errors: a narrative literature overview

“…The identified study designs consisted of nine retrospective audits:18 19 21 23–26 28 30 six surveys, 17 20 22 23 29 31 one blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT),29 one interrupted time sequence27 and one employing semistructured interviews 18…”

Mind the gap – using clinical audit to minimise medication information errors at hospital discharge

“…Computergenerated discharge summaries distributed via an online system may provide a more sustainable solution. Pilot studies of such systems have reported positive results, 7,8 but they still appear a distant prospect for many NHS trusts.…”