Intended for healthcare professionals

Rapid response to:

Feature Christmas 2016: Professional Matters

A millennial discharge summary

BMJ 2016; 355 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i6607 (Published 15 December 2016) Cite this as: BMJ 2016;355:i6607

Rapid Response:

An incomplete discharge summary

Dear Editors

I fear that the published example of a discharge summary is incomplete.

Where are the 10 pages of cut-and-paste results of unnecessary test results performed with no indication or context?

Where are the space fillers of computer data entry details listing time/date/registered user name/ authorisation/computer terminal footprint/program version etc?

Where is the unhelpful picture of the wound taken with a camera phone with a flash AND with a examination light shining on it (and a bystander whose hand is making a V-sign in the background) and taking up a large memory space in the program?

Where is the document of the patient's complaint flagging the slow speed of free public WiFi access in the emergency department provided by the Ministry of Entertainment and Boredom Reduction?
(NHS staff must remember the patient-centred experience and journey through the NHS system must trump core business providing efficient and safe quality health care.)

For this unacceptable omission, I must send the summary back for redrafting.

Competing interests: No competing interests

23 December 2016
Shyan Goh
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Sydney, Australia