Discharged ER patients often miss instructions

From the CBC:

People who are discharged from emergency departments are often unable to tell what symptoms should raise alarms and make them return to the hospital, a review suggests.

Dr. Stephen Porter, head of emergency medicine at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, led a review of more than 50 studies on the subject. The papers examined the content, delivery and comprehension of discharge instructions for both adults and children.

It’s important for doctors and nurses to communicate effectively with patients to deliver the best care. But in the hectic and distracting environment of an emergency department, those key instructions can be lost.