A primary purpose of syndromic surveillance is to detect citywide increases in illness [36], and one of the primary advantages of chief complaint data over ICD-9 discharge data is timeliness.
The studies reported were all carried out under different health systems which may have been influenced by different payment systems, admission and discharge policies, and timeliness of data [ 40].
The quality and timeliness of discharge documentation: "For example, if this documentation does not capture the full extent of the patient's condition, this could lead to an underestimate of the risk of death and consequently lead to a higher HSMR".
From a quality management perspective, timeliness of discharge letters is particularly relevant for patient-follow-up.
Timeliness of discharge planning, on the other hand, also served as the performance indicators for an effective discharge planning [ 11].
In particular, we observed a substantial variation both with respect to completeness and timeliness of discharge letters between departments.
This creates an opportunity to significantly improve the quality of the MDS discharge records and their timeliness.
We are also aware that the timeliness of discharge summary completion and receipt constitutes a major and constant challenge for every hospital.
The findings in the literature globally indicate that compared to traditional TOC summaries, computer-enabled TOC communications of various types appear promising, particularly with respect to improving timeliness of discharge summary delivery, and satisfaction among physicians and patients/families.
How can completeness and timeliness of discharge letters be measured in an automated way for a commercial HIS? 2. Are there specific patterns of documentation for certain medical specialties?
Other studies have also found that the most effective measures to support GP and specialist cooperation is to allow for easy telephone access (for patients and healthcare professionals), increase the timeliness of discharge letters, and create feedback between professionals through frequent meetings.
