ACP HospitalistHow to Write a Good Discharge Summary

Enhancing Continuity of Care: Insights and Innovations in Discharge Summary Practices

In a recent study, primary care physicians from California offer critical insights into the art and science of crafting effective discharge summaries. By investigating the experiences and preferences of these physicians, the study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, illuminates the essential elements and common pitfalls in discharge summary preparation. The findings not only reinforce the importance of concise, relevant information but also highlight the broader implications for patient care continuity and effective communication between hospitalists and primary care providers.

Key Points:

• Study Background: Conducted with 20 primary care physicians in California, focusing on their experiences with discharge summaries and perspectives on various templates.
• Primary Concern: Incidental findings during hospitalization are often overlooked in discharge summaries, yet are crucial for ongoing patient care.
• Data Overload: Physicians emphasized the need for a balance between essential and extraneous information in discharge summaries.
• Empathy in Summary Writing: Physicians suggest imagining oneself in the primary care doctor’s role to discern necessary information for patient care continuation.
• Trainee Education: Training and feedback are crucial for improving the quality of discharge summaries written by medical trainees.
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) Usage: Although helpful, EHR templates can sometimes lead to information overload; customization is key.
• Medication Information: Clear communication about changes to medication regimens, including reasons for stopping certain medications, is highly valued.
• Template Consistency: An agreed-upon discharge summary template within institutions can improve consistency and efficiency.
• Broader Implications: The study’s findings have implications for improving the continuity of care and enhancing communication between hospitalists and primary care physicians.

“I 100% acknowledge that discharge summary writing is a very difficult skill. It is very challenging to take a hospitalization that can be anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months, in some cases, and distill it down into a single document.” – Brittany Chatterton, MD, MAS

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