SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Empowering Patients: Enhancing Education of Follow-Up Needs

Pdf Summary

This project evaluated whether adding a simple, optional prompt to the patient-facing after-hospital care plan (AHCP) would improve communication of active issues needing outpatient follow-up (AINF) after discharge.<br /><br />The intervention was implemented on resident-led general medicine services at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Teams were educated about the new prompt, but they were not required to complete it and could delete it if desired. Investigators compared a random sample of discharge documents before and after the intervention (35 pre-intervention and 35 post-intervention) by counting how many AINF items were documented in both the discharge summary and the AHCP. Residents were also surveyed afterward about the usefulness of the change.<br /><br />Results showed that adding the prompt quickly increased documentation of active follow-up issues in the AHCP. Interestingly, the number of AINF items documented in discharge summaries also increased, even though the discharge-summary template itself was not changed. Survey feedback from residents suggested that most thought the intervention was important, helpful for patients, and did not interfere with workflow.<br /><br />The authors concluded that a simple prompt in the AHCP can improve discharge documentation and may strengthen communication of follow-up needs to patients. However, the study did not evaluate whether this led to better outcomes such as improved follow-up adherence, patient understanding, satisfaction, or lower readmission rates, so those effects remain unknown and warrant further study.

Asset Subtitle

Luke J. Richard

Meta Tag

Author List Jordan Kenik, Luke J. Richard, Sara Kroenke, Sean O'Neill

Category Innovations

Concept Hospital Discharge Communication

Concept Active Issues

Concept After Hospital Care Plan

Concept Discharge Summary

Concept Follow-up

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization University of Wisconsin - Madison

Presenting Author Luke J. Richard

Track Transitions of Care

Keywords

after-hospital care plan

active issues needing outpatient follow-up

discharge documentation

patient communication

resident-led general medicine

hospital discharge

prompt intervention

outpatient follow-up

care transition

patient safety

Hospital Discharge Communication

Active Issues

After Hospital Care Plan

Discharge Summary

Follow-up