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Communication of discharge information for elderly patients in hospital
P Curran1, D H Gilmore, T R Beringer
1Geriatric Medical Unit, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
The Ulster Medical Journal
|April 1, 1992
Abstract:
The delivery of the discharge note to the general practitioners following discharge of elderly patients from a geriatric medical unit was studied over a two-month period. Handwritten discharge notes were received by the general practitioners in 75% of cases, and the delay was reduced to a median of two days by the use of a pre-printed envelope. Postal communications were also received by 89% of general practitioners after a median delay in two days. A dual system of hand-delivery and postal delivery would ensure faster and more complete receipt of information.