Do marked discharge summaries with recommendation text boxes enhance patient safety? A nationwide survey.

Background: Danish hospital physicians are required to mark their discharge summaries addressing whether the patient's GP is recommended to follow-up the patient, as well as suggesting follow-up actions.

Aim: To investigate whether a new form of discharge summaries may contribute to improving perceived patient safety following transition from hospitals to general practice.

Design & setting: A questionnaire sent to a representative sample of GPs in Denmark.

Method: A questionnaire was prepared for GPs based on background material, focus group interviews, and discussions with relevant professionals. It was subsequently pilot tested by fellow researchers and GPs, and revised before the presently reported survey.

Results: Of 310 participating GPs, 197 (63%) 'totally agree' or 'partly agree' that the marked discharge summaries (MDS) with a recommendation text box contribute to a better handover to general practice, and 223 (72%) 'totally agree' or 'partly agree' that they improve patient safety.

Conclusion: The majority of responding GPs believe that the MDS with a recommendation text box enhance patient safety and facilitate the transition of care to general practice following hospital discharge.