title: General practitioner-hospital communications: a review of discharge summaries.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the reliability, effectiveness, accuracy and timeliness of hospital to general practitioner (GP) information transfer by discharge summaries produced in a general public hospital in New South Wales, Australia. A retrospective audit of 569 patient discharge summaries and related medical records with a targeted GP interview was performed to determine receipt and clinical value of the recorded information. The main outcome measure was the number and quality of discharge summaries received by patient-nominated GPs. Summaries written for patients discharged from hospital were estimated to be received by the patient-nominated GP in 27.1% of cases. Discharge summaries audited were rated as being 63.6% accurate, with errors occurring in all facets of production. The current method of discharge summary production and distribution is unacceptable. The high number of errors (36.4%) and the low rate of receipt (27.1%), indicates that resources invested in the production of the discharge summary could be better utilized to improve information transfer.
authors.affiliation: Ambulatory Care Administration, Macarthur Health Service, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia. stephen.wilson@swsahs.nsw.gov.au
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ruscoe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D006302:Health Services Research; D018578:Hospital-Physician Relations; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management / Q000592:standards; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards*; D009517:New South Wales; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards*; D010821:Physicians, Family; D012189:Retrospective Studies