[Evaluation of the discharge summary by physicians in charge. A questionnaire study]

In September 1986, a questionnaire about letters of discharge was sent to 250 physicians-in-charge i 250 clinical hospital departments in Denmark. Out of these, 214 replied to the questionnaire (85.6%). Only 110 (51%) of the physicians-in-charge stated that there was a definite time (number of days) by which the letter of discharge should be sent after the discharge of the patient. In 99 departments (46%), the letters of discharge were, on an average, sent later than the physician-in-charge found acceptable. 50% of the physician-in-charge found that the acceptable time of sending the letter of discharge after discharge of the patient was 0-3 days. 43% of the physicians-in-charge found that 4-7 days after discharge of the patient could be accepted. Formalized teaching in writing letters of discharge only took place in 24 departments (11%). Only few physicians-in-charge stated that they often or fre quently received negative or positive feed-back from general practitioners about letters of discharge. The following concrete proposals to improve the quality of letters of discharge and to shorten the time until sending are discussed: simplifying the passage from dictation of the letter to dispatch, increased formalized teaching of house officers and generally higher priority for letters of discharge.