Audit of Ophthalmology Discharge Summaries in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

NC Oguego; O Okoye; A Aghaji; FC Maduka Okafor; OI Okoye; IR Ezegwui

Authors

NC Oguego Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
O Okoye Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
A Aghaji Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
FC Maduka Okafor Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
OI Okoye Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
IR Ezegwui Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.

Abstract

Discharge summaries are important components of hospital care which ensure continuity, especially in hospital transitions.¹ A discharge summary eases out readmission to the hospital and extraction of data for research and as a summary for other purposes.1 It is generally accepted that provision of a discharge summary is part of good clinical practice.² In the United States of America, the Joint Commission International (JCI) acknowledges its importance and mandates that certain essential elements be included³.