Discharge communication study: a realist evaluation of discharge communication experiences of patients, general practitioners and hospital practitioners, alongside a corresponding discharge letter sample.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To develop a programme theory for the intervention of patients receiving discharge letters.

Design

We used a realist evaluation approach and captured multiple perspectives of hospital discharge to refine our previously developed programme theory. General practitioner (GP), patient and hospital clinician views of a single discharge event in which they were all involved were collected using semi-structured interviews and surveys. These were then triangulated to match the corresponding discharge letter. Data were qualitatively synthesised and compared in meta-matrices before interrogation with realist logic of analysis to develop the programme theory that maps out how patients receiving discharge letters works in specific contexts.

Setting

14 GP practices and

SUBMITTER: Weetman K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8296817 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature