Timeliness of electronic discharge summary sign-off for medical inpatients at Great Western Hospital, Swindon: a retrospective audit

Abstract

Timely communication between healthcare providers is crucial for providing safe and effective care, particularly in the era of increasingly complex medical and social needs. Electronic discharge summaries (EDS) conveying relevant information from inpatient admissions to patients' GPs are an integral part of such communication. NICE1 and Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB)2 guidelines stipulate EDS standards, including that such documents be made available to GPs within 24 hours of discharge. The primary aim of our audit was to evaluate compliance of medical teams at the Great Western …