Patients Often Don't Recall Emergency Department Discharge Instructions

In a meta-analysis, only one half to two thirds of the information conveyed during discharge was recalled correctly by patients.

Patient understanding of discharge instructions from the emergency department (ED) is known to be poor (NEJM JW Emerg Med Nov 2012 and Acad Emerg Med 2012; 19:1035, and NEJM JW Emerg Med Jun 2009 and Ann Emerg Med 2009; 53:454).

To compare the effectiveness of various methods of conveying ED discharge instructions, researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that measured patient recall of information on diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, and return appointments after an ED visit. The analysis evaluated pooled data from 12 studies of 1460 patients who received verbal information, 22 studies of 3395 patients who received written information, and 5 studies of 459 patients who received video information.

Recall rates wer…

Reviewing Author

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Patients Often Don't Recall Emergency Department Discharge Instructions

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Reviewing Author