An evaluation of discharge documentation for people with dementia discharged home from hospital—A cross-sectional pilot study
Abstract
This study evaluated discharge documentation for people with dementia who were discharged home, against expected discharge criteria and determined relationships between compliance scores and outcomes. This cross-sectional study audited discharge documentation and conducted a post discharge survey of carers. There were 73 eligible discharges and clinically significant documentation deficits for people with dementia included: risk assessments of confusion (48%), falls and pressure injury (56%); provision of medication dose-decision aids (53%), provision of contact information for patient support groups (6%) and advance care planning (9%). There was no significant relationship between compliance scores and outcomes. Carer strain was reported to be high for many carers. People with dementia and their carers are more vulnerable and at higher risk of poor outcomes after discharge. There are opportunities for improved provision of medications and risk assessment for people with dementia, provision of information for patient support groups and advanced care planning.
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Few caregivers received practical tools such as dose-decision aids to support safe medication management at home.
“Few caregivers received practical tools such as dose-decision aids to support safe medication management at home (Pond et al., 2019).”
From Mind the gap: a systematic review of barriers, facilitators, and experiences of care transitions for people living with dementia and their informal caregivers. (2026) · cites this paper as Pond et al., 2019
Over 80% of discharge summaries included documentation about medication and significant medication changes.
“Over 80% included documentation about medication and significant medication changes.”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
One study used mixed methods to evaluate the content of a transitions of care intervention (caregiver instructions/information via discharge documentation).
“One study used mixed methods to evaluate the content of a transitions of care intervention (caregiver instructions/information via discharge documentation). 22”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Missing items on the discharge summary documentation for the community physician included provision of medication dose-decision aids (53%), provision of contact information for patient support groups (6%), and advance care planning (9%).
“Missing items on the discharge summary documentation for the community physician included provision of medication dose- decision aids (53%), provision of contact information for patient support groups (6%), and ad- vance care planning (9%).”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Two studies reported that discharge interventions had no statistically significant effect on re-hospitalization rates.
“two studies reported that discharge interventions had no statistically significant effect on re-hospitalization rates. 21,22”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
The Kable et al. study had no information about the readability of the discharge summary provided caregivers.
“The study had no information about the readability of the discharge summary provided caregivers.”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Most included interventions targeted administration of medications by caregivers.
“most targeted administration of medications by caregivers”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Discharge summary documentation had no effect on outcomes.
“The discharge summary documentation had no effect on outcomes, 22”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
In a mixed methods study auditing medical discharge summaries provided to primary care physicians and caregivers (n=73), over 80% of the 73 eligible discharges included documentation about medication and significant medication changes.
“over 80% included documentation about medication and significant medication changes”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
There was no evidence that re-hospitalization decreased as the compliance score increased (OR 0.99, p=0.33).
“The study found no evidence that re-hospitalization decreased as the compliance score increased (OR 0.99, p = 0.33).”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Almost 90% of the 73 eligible discharges included documentation about instructions for routine medications.
“almost 90% included documentation about instructions for routine medications”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Two out of the five studies tested discharge interventions that involved communication with the primary care physician.
“Two out of the five studies tested discharge interventions that involved communication with the primary care physician. 22,24”
From Interventions at Hospital Discharge to Guide Caregivers in Medication Management for People Living with Dementia: a Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
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Sawan, M. J., Wennekers, D., Sakiris, M., & Gnjidic, D. (2021) · Journal of general internal medicine · doi:10.1007/s11606-020-06442-5 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
“Two out of the five studies tested discharge interventions that involved communication with the primary care physician.(22,24) The discharge summary documentation had no effect on outcomes,(22) while the multidisciplinary team intervention involving collaboration with the primary care Sawan et al.”
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Analysis of discharge documentation for older adults living with dementia: A cohort study
Parker, K. J., Phillips, J. L., Luckett, T., Agar, M., Ferguson, C., & Hickman, L. D. (2021) · Journal of Clinical Nursing · doi:10.1111/jocn.15885 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
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Kable, A. K., Hullick, C., Palazzi, K. L., Oldmeadow, C. J., Searles, A., Ling, R., Pond, D. C., Fullerton, A., Fraser, S., Bruce, R., et al. (2020) · Australian Journal on Ageing · doi:10.1111/ajag.12877 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
- Authors
- Kable, A., Pond, D., Hullick, C., Chenoweth, L., Duggan, A., Attia, J., & Oldmeadow, C.
- Affiliations
- University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
- Hunter New England Local Health District (AU)
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- Hunter Medical Research Institute (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Kable, Ashley
- Venue
- Dementia
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-09-06
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1764-1776
- ISSN
- 1471-3012 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2684
- OpenAlex
- W2774528588
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 0.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Dementia (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion)
- NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Dementia Collaborative Research Centres, Australia
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Issues, ethics and legal aspects › Nursing Diagnosis and Documentation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Emergency Medicine › Hospital Admissions and Outcomes
- Keywords
- hospital discharge documentation, discharge planning, carer strain, post-discharge outcomes, risk assessment, falls, pressure ulcers, advance care planning, patient support groups
- MeSH terms
- Aged, 80 and over, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dementia, Female, Hospitals, Humans, Length of Stay, Male, Middle Aged, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Patient Discharge, Pilot Projects, Caregivers
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