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The efficacy of computer-enabled discharge communication interventions: a systematic review
Soror Mona Motamedi1, Juan Posadas-Calleja, Sharon Straus
1Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada. Mona.Motamedi@AlbertaHealthServices.ca
BMJ Quality & Safety
|January 26, 2011
Summary
Computer-enabled discharge communication improves patient care by enhancing timeliness and reducing errors. While primary outcomes like mortality require more research, secondary benefits are clear.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Clinical Communication
- Systematic Review
Background:
- Traditional discharge summaries are often inaccurate, inconsistent, and delayed.
- Computer-enabled discharge communication offers a standardized approach to improve information transfer between acute and community healthcare providers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effectiveness of computer-enabled discharge communication compared to traditional methods for hospital patients.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL).
- Included studies were randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies with concurrent controls, and controlled before-after studies.
- Interventions involved automated data population, electronic transmission, or dynamic communication platforms; controls used traditional methods.
Main Results:
- Twelve studies (8 RCTs, 4 quasi-experimental) were analyzed; meta-analysis was not feasible due to heterogeneity.
- No significant difference in mortality was found; one study indicated reduced long-term readmission.
- Intervention groups showed decreased perceived medical errors, improved timeliness, and higher physician/patient satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- Computer-enabled discharge communications demonstrate clear benefits for secondary outcomes like timeliness and satisfaction.
- Further research is needed to investigate the impact on primary outcomes such as mortality and readmission due to inconsistent reporting.
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01:30Barriers to Effective Communication I
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