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Standardized or narrative discharge summaries. Which do family physicians prefer?
C van Walraven1, S M Duke, A L Weinberg
1Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, University of Ottawa.
Canadian Family Physician Medecin De Famille Canadien
|March 3, 1998
Summary
Family physicians prefer standardized discharge summaries for better relevance and access to patient information. Physician, patient, and summary characteristics influence this preference, favoring conciseness.
Area of Science:
- Medical Informatics
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Discharge summaries are crucial for patient care continuity.
- Current narrative formats may present challenges in information retrieval.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare family physician preference between narrative and standardized discharge summary formats.
- To identify factors influencing this format preference.
Main Methods:
- A mailed survey was administered to 126 family physicians in the Ottawa-Carleton area.
- Physicians reviewed both narrative and standardized discharge summaries for a sample of patients.
- Preference was measured using a 7-point ordinal scale.
Main Results:
- The standardized format (mean score 4.28) was significantly preferred over the narrative format (3.84).
- Standardized summaries were rated higher for relevance to ongoing care and ease of access.
- Preference for standardized summaries correlated with shorter length of stay and physician dissatisfaction with previous formats.
Conclusions:
- Family physicians demonstrate a clear preference for standardized discharge summaries.
- Physician, patient, and discharge summary characteristics significantly impact format preference.