Using a Structured Discharge Letter Template to Improve Communication During the Transition from a Specialized Outpatient Diabetes Clinic to a Primary Care Physician

• Published in: Canadian journal of diabetes 2015-12, Vol.39 (6), p.457-466
• Main Authors: Doyle, Mary-Anne, MD, FRCPC, Malcolm, Janine C., MD, FRCPC, Liu, Dora, MD, FRCPC, Maranger, Julie, BScN, Ooi, Teik Chye, MBBS, FRCPC, Keely, Erin, MD, FRCPC
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; Cardiovascular Diseases - psychology; Communication; Consultation letters; Continuity of Patient Care - standards; Correspondence as Topic; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - prevention & control; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - psychology; Diabète; Discharge letter; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Humans; Letter templates; Lettre de congé; Lettres de consultation; Modèles de lettres; Other; Outpatients - statistics & numerical data; Patient Discharge - standards; Patient Discharge - statistics & numerical data; Physicians, Primary Care; Qualitative Research; Quality of Health Care; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Specialization; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transition des soins; Transition of care
• ISSN: 1499-2671; 2352-3840
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2015.06.009

Abstract Objective Transition from specialists to primary care physicians is dependent on clear communication by means of a discharge letter. Primary care physicians have indicated that letters from specialists rarely contain the details they require. As part of a quality-improvement project to improve the transition from diabetes clinics to primary care physicians, a structured discharge letter template was developed to facilitate the dictation of useful letters by specialists. The objective was to evaluate the content and quality of discharge letters created using a structured discharge letter template as compared to letters completed without the template. Methods Retrospective study of patients treated at the Ottawa Hospital and discharged from the outpatient diabetes clinic between November 1, 2009, and December 1, 2010. The letters were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers and were assessed for content, brevity, clarity, management plan, organization and quality. Word count, dictation and transcription times were also compared. Results Letters completed using the structured discharge letter template were more comprehensive and more likely to contain guidelines on management for glycemic control (51.1% vs. 14.1%; p