Improved Supervision and Safety of Discharges Through Formal Discharge Education

The goal of this study is to evaluate change in residents' assessment of supervision and safety of the discharge process after formal discharge instruction education. An educational lecture and workshop addressing high-risk medications, medication reconciliation, follow-up, and handoffs were provided to internal medicine residents. Residents were given a longitudinal survey before and after the discharge education session. Significant improvement in perception was demonstrated in review of discharge instructions ( P < .001), review of new medications/side effects with patients ( P < .001), and review of discharge instructions with and receiving feedback from attending physicians ( P < .001). On review of 40 discharge instructions pre and post intervention, there was an improvement in completion of instructions for high-risk medications ( P < .05 [14 insulin, 26 anticoagulation]). This intervention was viewed positively by residents; more than two thirds of all residents favored a process of formal training over the current model of "training by doing."