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Discharge planning and patient satisfaction in an emergency short‐stay unit
Author(s) -
Arendts Glenn,
MacKenzie John,
Lee John K
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
emergency medicine australasia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.602
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1742-6723
pISSN - 1742-6731
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-6723.2006.00798.x
Subject(s) - medicine , discharge planning , patient satisfaction , medical emergency , patient discharge , emergency department , emergency medicine , unit (ring theory) , patient care , hospital discharge , medline , intensive care medicine , nursing , mathematics education , mathematics , political science , law
Objectives: To determine the adequacy of discharge planning from an emergency short‐stay unit (ESSU), and patient knowledge of and satisfaction with the ESSU. Methods: Prospective follow up of patients discharged from an ESSU using patient surveys and a computerized patient information system, with descriptive and comparative data analysis. Results: Eighty‐five per cent of respondents stated that they received adequate discharge instruction, and 89% that they benefited from their ESSU admission. However, 29% of patients made unscheduled visits to another medical practitioner post discharge and 9% were readmitted to hospital for the same problem with which they were discharged from the ESSU. Patient satisfaction with all aspects of care in the ESSU was high. Conclusions: Most patients discharged from an ESSU are provided with adequate discharge instruction, but a sizeable proportion require subsequent medical care for the same problem after discharge. Patient satisfaction with all aspects of care in an ESSU is high.