Department of Research and Innovation, Fonna Hospital Trust, Valen, Norway Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Harald Bjarne Hellesen
Suldal General Practitioners Center, Suldal Municipality, Suldal, Norway
Jostein Helgeland
Haugesund Health Care Office, Haugesund Municipality, Haugesund, Norway
Olav Thorsen
Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
Jörg Assmus
Centre for Clinical Research, Bergen Hospital Trust, Bergen, Norway
Eva Biringer
Department of Research and Innovation, Fonna Hospital Trust, Stord, Norway
We investigated the quality of 100 discharge letters from mental health specialists to better understand the role of cross-sectoral communication in patients’ readmissions or other unplanned recontacts with mental health specialist care. Using a case-control design, we compared 50 letters for patients readmitted or for whom a formal request for additional specialist mental healthcare was made by the patient’s GP (recontact) within 30 days of discharge, and 50 letters for those without readmission or recontact. The 26-item checklist Quality of Discharge letters – Mental Health was used to assess discharge letter quality. No significant differences in total checklist scores were found, suggesting that discharge letter quality does not influence the rates of readmission or unplanned recontact in mental healthcare.
