Reporting the discharge medication in the discharge letter : an explorative survey of family doctors ; meeting abstract

  • Background and Aim: In Germany, the discharge medication is usually reported to the general practitioner (GP) by an inital short report (SR) /notification (handed over to the patient) and later by a more detailed discharge letter (DL) of the hospital. Material and Method: We asked N=536 GPs (from Frankfurt/Main and Luebeck) after the typical report format of their patients discharge medication by the local hospitals. The questionnaire asked for 26 items covering (1) the designation of the medication (brand name, generic name) in SR and DL, (2) further specifications e.g. possibilities of generic substitution or supervision of sensible medications, (3) reasons why GPs do not follow the hospitals recommendations and (4) possibilities for an improvement in the medication-related communication between GP and hospitals. Results: 39% GPs responded sufficiently to the questionnaire. The majority of the GPs (82%) quoted that in the SR only brand names are given (often or ever) and neither the generic name or any further information on generic substitution is available (seldom or never). 65% of the responders quoted that even in the DL only brand names are given. Only 41% of the responders quoted that further treatment relevant specifications are given (often or ever). 95% responded that new medications or change of custom medication is seldom or never explained in the DL and GP were not explicitly informed about relevant medication changes. 58% of the responders quoted economic reasons for re-adjustment of the discharge medication e.g. by generic substitution. The majority of responders (83%) are favouring (useful or very useful) a pre-discharge information (e.g. via fax) about the medication and 54% a hot-line to some relevant person in the hospital when treatment problems emerge. 67% of the responders quoted in favour of regular meetings between GPs and hospital doctors regarding actual pharmacotherapy. Conclusion: In conclusion, our survey pointed to marked deficiencies in reporting the discharge medication to GPs. Conflict of interest: None

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Author:Sebastian HarderGND, Angela Roth-Isigkeit
URN:urn:nbn:de:hebis:30-44928
URL:http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/gaa2004/04gaa17.shtml
Parent Title (German):Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelanwendungsforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie (GAA) e.V.. 11. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie (GAA) e.V.. Jena, 30.09.-01.10.2004
Publisher:German Medical Science
Place of publication:Düsseldorf ; Köln
Document Type:Conference Proceeding
Language:English
Year of Completion:2004
Date of first Publication:2004/09/30
Publishing Institution:Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
Contributing Corporation:Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelanwendungsforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie
Release Date:2007/06/08
Issue:Doc04gaa17
Page Number:3
Note:
© 2004 Harder et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.
Source:11. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Arzneimittelforschung und Arzneimittelepidemiologie (GAA) e.V., 30.09. bis 01.10.2004, Jena. - Düsseldorf {[u.a.] : German Medical Science; Doc 04gaa17
HeBIS-PPN:188614702
Institutes:Medizin / Medizin
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Licence (German):License LogoCreative Commons - Namensnennung-Nicht kommerziell-Keine Bearbeitung 3.0