Is email an effective method for hospital discharge communication? A randomized controlled trial to examine delivery of computer-generated discharge summaries by email, fax, post and patient hand delivery

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Abstract: Objective: To examine the effectiveness of delivering of computer-generated discharge summaries to general practice by email, fax, post and patient hand delivery.Design: Blinded, randomized controlled trial. A pre-study audit ascertaining baseline statistics and a follow-up survey were conducted with general practice to determine preferred medium for receiving discharge communication.Participants and setting: 196 geriatric patients who were admitted to the aged care ward of a 300-bed metropolitan teaching hospital. Twenty-eight patients were lost to follow-up and 52 general practices participated in the final survey. The pre-study audit followed 63 discharges from the same ward.Intervention: 168 eligible patients were randomly assigned to have their electronic discharge summary s….