Enhancing Discharge Conversations Among Learners in the Emergency Department: A Descriptive Pilot Study of the GET HOME Safe Educational Discharge Intervention

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Publication Title

J Am Geriatr Soc

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patient understanding of emergency department dischargeinstructions is critical to improving patient outcomes after ED discharge, yet residency programs have sparce curricula devoted to the vital procedure of facilitating a discharge conversation. METHODS: The multifaceted discharge education intervention (Figure)includes feedback on audio recorded discharge conversations, alecture on components of the GET HOME Safe mnemonic fordischarge counselling including guidance on identifying barriers tosafe discharge for older adults, and practice with standardized patients.We conducted a pilot study with 4th-year medical students with theteaching session as the sole intervention and measured rate of inclusionof essential components during a simulated patient encounter. A prospective pre-post intervention study with EM residents is ongoing. RESULTS: Of a total of 11 fourth-year medical students in the pilot study,91% had never received prior education on discharge counselling and 64% had never been asked to provide discharge counsellingto a patient. Rates of inclusion of nine essential discharge compo-nents in a sample case increased from 53% to 86% (p=0.04) after abrief educational intervention and introduction to the GET HOMESafe mnemonic. Discussion of the expected illness course remains missing in more than 70% of post-intervention conversations. CONCLUSION: Development of formal education on the discharge education process has the potential to improve physician communication at the time of ED discharge and ultimately patient comprehension ofdischarge instructions. Evaluation of the GET HOME Safe education intervention in the clinical setting is ongoing to determine its impacton resident performance and patient comprehension.

Volume

73

First Page

S151

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