Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34345753›Full record

ArticlePediatric quality & safety

A Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Discharge Timeliness and Documentation.

Annie Larrow, Amy Chong, Treavor Robison, Aarti Patel, Cynthia Kuelbs, Erin Fisher, Daniel Hershey, Heather Pierce

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric quality & safety. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Annie LarrowDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Amy ChongDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Treavor RobisonDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Aarti PatelDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Cynthia KuelbsDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Erin FisherDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Daniel HersheyDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Heather PierceDepartment of Pediatrics, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California San Diego, San Diego, Calif.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDischarge communication is critical for the continuity of patient care. However, discharge summaries are often not available in time for follow-up visits, and the content is inconsistent. We aimed to decrease the average time to discharge summary completion by 25%, reduce deficiencies (information errors) by 50%, and increase discharge summary template use to >80% in 6 months.

methodsA pediatric interprofessional team used quality improvement methods to identify barriers and implement interventions, including discharge summary completion time expectation, electronic health record discharge summary template changes addressing gaps, and training. Notable changes to the template included embedded writing tips to guide writers and specific template choices for common diagnoses to standardize content. The primary outcome measure was the mean discharge summary completion time. Secondary measures were the percentage of discharge summaries with deficiencies and the rate of template use.

resultsAfter interventions, the mean discharge summary completion time decreased by 70% (from 71.5 to 21.8 hours). Discharge summary deficiencies decreased 44% (from 4.5% to 2.5%), and template use increased from 62% to 97%.

conclusionQuality improvement methods and a newly designed electronic health record-discharge summary template were used to dramatically improve discharge summary timeliness and standardize content to streamline continuity of care.

Identifiers

PMID34345753
PMCPMC8322483

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.