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Surgical discharge summaries: improving the record

D C Adams¹, J B Bristol, K R Poskitt

¹Cheltenham General Hospital.

Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England

|March 1, 1993

Summary

New information technology improves hospital-to-GP communication. Automated discharge summaries are faster and preferred by general practitioners, enhancing patient information delivery.

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Area of Science:

Medical Informatics
Healthcare Communication
Health Information Technology

Background:

Effective communication between hospitals and general practitioners (GPs) is crucial for patient care continuity.
Traditional discharge summaries often face delays and content issues, impacting post-discharge management.
New information technology offers potential solutions to enhance hospital-physician communication.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the impact of a new information technology system on the quality and timeliness of hospital discharge summaries.
To compare general practitioners' preferences for new versus traditional discharge summary formats.
To identify key elements of discharge summaries considered most important by general practitioners.

Main Methods:

A regional computer database for general surgery was implemented to automate discharge summary generation.
A postal questionnaire was distributed to 118 general practitioners to assess their views on discharge information.
Response rate was 97%, indicating strong engagement from general practitioners.

Main Results:

The new, structured, and shortened discharge summary format was significantly preferred over the older style.
73% of GPs preferred summaries within 3 days; the new system facilitated this.
The new format reduced perceived inadequacy (8% vs. 35%) and excessiveness (1% vs. 7%) of information compared to the old format.

Conclusions:

New information technology, specifically automated discharge summaries, significantly improves the promptness and structure of hospital-to-GP communication.
General practitioners favor the new system, reporting improved information quality and timeliness.
The implemented system facilitates clinical audit and enhances the overall quality of discharge information provided to primary care physicians.

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