Improving Discharge Communication in the Emergency Department Through Information Structuring

Improving Discharge Communication in the Emergency Department Through Information Structuring: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of the proposed study is to assess the potential of information structuring for improving discharge communication. Specifically, the investigators aim to examine the advantages of an information-structuring skills training for physicians (compared to an empathy skills training) on discharge communication and associated patient outcomes, such as patients' information recall and adherence to physician recommendations. The investigators hypothesize that patients receiving structured discharge information from their trained physicians will be able to recall more information and show higher adherence to recommendations relative to controls (i.e., patients receiving discharge information from doctors trained in empathy skills).

Physicians received a communication skills training focusing on information structuring with the so-called book metaphor for a structured discharge communication with the patient.

Physicians received a communication skills training focusing on empathy skills with the acronym NURSE for an empathetic discharge communication with the patient.

(1) comprehension, (2) structuredness (3) recommendation of the physician to family and friends (4) informativeness

Inclusion Criteria: Outpatients with chest pain Outpatients with abdominal pain Exclusion criteria: Patients younger than 18 years of age (limited ability to provide informed consent) Patients with limited ability to communicate in German, the default language at the hospital (confounder related to language proficiency) Patients with dementia (confounder arising from pathological memory deficits)