Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria
Objectives The discharge summary (DS) represents one of the most important instruments to ensure a safe patient discharge from the hospital. They sometimes have poor quality in content and often include medical jargon, which the patient and their relatives cannot easily understand. Therefore, many r...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMJ Publishing Group
2019-12-01
|
| Series: | BMJ Open |
| Online Access: | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e034857.full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850059018478813184 |
|---|---|
| author | Magdalena Hoffmann Christine Maria Schwarz Gudrun Pregartner Maximilian Weinrauch Lydia Jantscher Lars Kamolz Gernot Brunner Gerald Sendlhofer |
| author_facet | Magdalena Hoffmann Christine Maria Schwarz Gudrun Pregartner Maximilian Weinrauch Lydia Jantscher Lars Kamolz Gernot Brunner Gerald Sendlhofer |
| author_sort | Magdalena Hoffmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives The discharge summary (DS) represents one of the most important instruments to ensure a safe patient discharge from the hospital. They sometimes have poor quality in content and often include medical jargon, which the patient and their relatives cannot easily understand. Therefore, many risks for patient safety exist. This study investigated the questions for whom the DS is and which contents are necessary to ensure a safe treatment.Design Cross-sectional analysis.Setting Styria, Austria.Participants 3948 internal and external physicians were consulted.Interventions An online survey consisting of 24 questions was conducted. The survey was distributed to physicians working in the province of Styria, Austria, in 2018 over a period of 6 months.Main outcomes and measures Attitudes of internal and external physicians in terms of target group, content and health literacy.Results In total, 1060 physicians participated in the survey. The DS is considered as a communication tool among physicians (97.9%) and the patients are also indicated as addressees (73.5%). Furthermore, there is a high level of agreement that understandable information in the DS leads to fewer questions of the patients (67.9%).Conclusion In conclusion, the DS is not only seen as a document for the further treating physician but is also relevant for the patient. Incorporating the patient into their treatment at all levels may possibly strengthen the individual health literacy of the patient and their caring relatives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b8bce0fa7e924f1eb2c3ee9e27ef6cb9 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2044-6055 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-b8bce0fa7e924f1eb2c3ee9e27ef6cb92025-08-20T02:51:00ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-12-0191210.1136/bmjopen-2019-034857Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, AustriaMagdalena Hoffmann0Christine Maria Schwarz1Gudrun Pregartner2Maximilian Weinrauch3Lydia Jantscher4Lars Kamolz5Gernot Brunner6Gerald Sendlhofer7Research Unit for Safety in Health, Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, AustriaExecutive Department for Quality and Risk Management, Hospital of the Federal State of Styria and University Hospital Graz, Graz, AustriaInstitute for Medical Informatics, Statistics und Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, AustriaExecutive Department for Quality and Risk Management, Hospital of the Federal State of Styria and University Hospital Graz, Graz, AustriaExecutive Department for Quality and Risk Management, Hospital of the Federal State of Styria and University Hospital Graz, Graz, AustriaResearch Unit for Safety in Health, Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, AustriaResearch Unit for Safety in Health, Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, AustriaExecutive Department for Quality and Risk Management, University Hospital of Graz, Graz, AustriaObjectives The discharge summary (DS) represents one of the most important instruments to ensure a safe patient discharge from the hospital. They sometimes have poor quality in content and often include medical jargon, which the patient and their relatives cannot easily understand. Therefore, many risks for patient safety exist. This study investigated the questions for whom the DS is and which contents are necessary to ensure a safe treatment.Design Cross-sectional analysis.Setting Styria, Austria.Participants 3948 internal and external physicians were consulted.Interventions An online survey consisting of 24 questions was conducted. The survey was distributed to physicians working in the province of Styria, Austria, in 2018 over a period of 6 months.Main outcomes and measures Attitudes of internal and external physicians in terms of target group, content and health literacy.Results In total, 1060 physicians participated in the survey. The DS is considered as a communication tool among physicians (97.9%) and the patients are also indicated as addressees (73.5%). Furthermore, there is a high level of agreement that understandable information in the DS leads to fewer questions of the patients (67.9%).Conclusion In conclusion, the DS is not only seen as a document for the further treating physician but is also relevant for the patient. Incorporating the patient into their treatment at all levels may possibly strengthen the individual health literacy of the patient and their caring relatives.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e034857.full |
| spellingShingle | Magdalena Hoffmann Christine Maria Schwarz Gudrun Pregartner Maximilian Weinrauch Lydia Jantscher Lars Kamolz Gernot Brunner Gerald Sendlhofer Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria BMJ Open |
| title | Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria |
| title_full | Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria |
| title_fullStr | Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria |
| title_short | Attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary: a cross-sectional analysis in Styria, Austria |
| title_sort | attitudes of physicians towards target groups and content of the discharge summary a cross sectional analysis in styria austria |
| url | https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/12/e034857.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT magdalenahoffmann attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria AT christinemariaschwarz attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria AT gudrunpregartner attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria AT maximilianweinrauch attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria AT lydiajantscher attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria AT larskamolz attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria AT gernotbrunner attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria AT geraldsendlhofer attitudesofphysicianstowardstargetgroupsandcontentofthedischargesummaryacrosssectionalanalysisinstyriaaustria |