Charisma DeSai|Keri Janowiak|Beatrice Secheli|Eleanor Phelps|S. A. McDonald|Gary Reed|Andra L. Blomkalns
Empowering patients: simplifying discharge instructions
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center|The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center|The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center|The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center|The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center|The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center|Stanford University
patients enough information discharge plans decreased treatment compliance decreased patient safety increased emergency department ed recidivism poor satisfaction project aimed develop implement method assess improve patient understanding treatment discharge plan ed authors developed questionnaire assess patient knowledge using centers medicare medicaid services joint commission recommendations areas communication deficits reported manuscripts ed staff provider input responses patient interviews scored medical record three trained scorers graded responses interrater reliability calculated using kappa statistic baseline observations found written discharge instructions long tedious important information difficult find based initial patient scores stakeholder interviews fishbone diagrams team developed onepage simplified information page sip targeted inform patients relevant discharge instructions next sip tested 118 patients measure effect patient understanding baseline study patients complete understanding discharge instructions areas lowest scores medication instructions indications return ed implementation sip resulted statistically significant changes score distribution across questions assessed wilcoxon signedrank test interrater reliability scorers high kappa084 incorporated concept sip cover page standard discharge instructions healthcare providers often spend valuable time educating patients important assess effectiveness teaching identify areas may improve health literacy patient understanding project shown simple easytoread concise page developed patient input significantly improved ed discharge instruction knowledge