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INDICATOR NAME
Name
Percent discharge summaries sent from hospital to community care provider within 48 hours of discharge
Alternate Name
Percent discharge summaries sent from hospital to community care provider within 48 hours of discharge
 
INDICATOR DESCRIPTION
Description
This indicator measures the percentage of patients discharged from hospital for which discharge summaries are delivered to primary care provider within 48 hours of patient's discharge from hospital.
Indicator Status
Active
HQO Reporting tool/product
Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs)
Dimension
Timely
Type
Process
 
DEFINITION AND SOURCE INFORMATION
Unit of Measurement
Percentage
Calculation Methods

The percentage is calculated as: numerator divided by denominator times 100.

Calculate number of discharge summaries transcribed, signed and sent within 48 hours of patient’s discharge from hospital for the time period.

Numerator including inclusion/exclusion

Number of patients discharged from hospitals for whom a discharge summary is sent to primary care provider within 48 hours of discharge (electronically or by fax) for the time period. 

Inclusions:

  • Acute and post-acute hospital inpatient discharge summaries sent electronically to primary care provider with access to Hospital Report Manager, Clinical Connect or similar, or by fax to those without electronic access.

Exclusions:

  • Discharges of inpatients who do not have a documented primary care provider.
  • Discharges from outside the LHIN.
  • Emergency Department patients.
  • Newborns, deaths, and delivery summaries.

Denominator including inclusion/exclusion

Number of inpatients discharged for the time period.

Inclusions:

  • Acute and post-acute hospital inpatient discharge.

Exclusions:

  • Discharges of inpatients whose primary care provider is not identified.
  • Emergency Department patients.
  • Newborns, deaths, and delivery summaries.
Data Source
Local data collection
Data provided to HQO by
Local data collection
 
OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION
Comments Detailed
This is a priority indicator for QIP 2019/20. Current performance reporting period: most recent 3 month period. Recommend organizations consider pilot testing this indicator in one program or unit for 2018/19 QIP. Timely distribution of discharge summaries is predicated on the following core elements: • Physicians (or delegate) dictate discharge summary as close to patient’s discharge time (preferably before) as possible • Transcription to occur within 24 hours of dictation • Activate ‘auto-authentication’ to ensure one-step distribution of the discharge summary upon signature (note: will be e-HR specific and may require Medical Advisory (or similar) approval) • Improvement efforts may focus on (1) getting discharge summaries prepared and signed in a timely manner, and (2) signed discharge summaries distributed in a timely manner.
 
TAGS
Sector
Acute Care/Hospital
Type
Process
Topic
Patient Safety and Never Events
Dimension
Timely
Source
Local data collection
 
PUBLISH
Publish Datetime
01/02/2019 12:34:00