Notifying general practitioners about deaths in hospital: an audit

Area of Science:

• Medical Communication
• General Practice
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Effective communication between hospitals and general practitioners (GPs) is crucial for patient care continuity.
• Timely information regarding patient deaths in hospital is vital for GPs to support bereaved families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the timeliness and methods of hospital-to-GP communication following patient deaths.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of standard communication protocols and interventions.

Main Methods:

• A 14-month observational study in six Dundee general practices.
• Recording of death dates, locations, and methods of notification for 272 deceased patients.
• Analysis of communication delays and methods for 193 hospital-responsible cases.

Main Results:

• Immediate telephone notification occurred in only 58% of cases.
• Official hospital letters were sent within one week in only 49% of cases.
• A unit medical circular did not improve notification timeliness.

Conclusions:

• Current hospital communication practices regarding patient deaths are inadequate for general practice needs.
• Standard interprofessional communication interventions, like medical circulars, appear ineffective in improving timely notification.
• Improved communication is essential to support GPs in assisting bereaved relatives.