• Ran Stein, David Neufeld, Ivan Shwartz, Ilan Erez, Ilana Haas, Ada Magen, Elon Glassberg, Pavel Shmulevsky, and Haim Paran.
• Department of Surgery, Meir Medical Center, Kfar saba, Israel.
• Isr Med Assoc J. 2014 Nov 1;16(11):714-7.

BackgroundDischarge summaries after hospitalization provide the most reliable description and implications of the hospitalization. A concise discharge summary is crucial for maintaining continuity of care through the transition from inpatient to ambulatory care. Discharge summaries often lack information and are imprecise. Errors and insufficient recommendations regarding changes in the medical regimen may harm the patient's health and may result in readmission.ObjectivesTo evaluate a quality improvement model and training program for writing postoperative discharge summaries for three surgical procedures.MethodsMedical records and surgical discharge summaries were reviewed and scored. Essential points for communication between surgeons and family physicians were included in automated forms. Staff was briefed twice regarding required summary contents with an interim evaluation. Changes in quality were evaluated.ResultsSummaries from 61 cholecystectomies, 42 hernioplasties and 45 colectomies were reviewed. The average quality score of all discharge summaries increased from 72.1 to 78.3 after the first intervention (P < 0.0005) to 81.0 following the second intervention. As the discharge summary's quality improved, its length decreased significantly.ConclusionsDischarge summaries lack important information and are too long. Developing a model for discharge summaries and instructing surgical staff regarding their contents resulted in measurable improvement. Frequent interventions and supervision are needed to maintain the quality of the surgical discharge summary.

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