Study Finds Poor Communication Between Hospitals and Primary Care Doctors Harms Patient Treatment

A study published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that a number of challenges impede the coordination of care between hospitals and primary care physicians. Poor communication, mismatches between information-sharing methods, and a failure to understand the pressures that other care providers face can all cause problems in the communication stream. In some cases, the result is serious patient harm.

During the study, researchers interviewed 58 clinicians separated into eight focus groups. In each interview, researchers sought information on how hospitals and primary care physicians can improve each patient’s chances of doing well once they leave the hospital, so that they do not suffer dangerous complications or face the need to be readmitted. For purposes of the study, researchers focused on physicians and hospitals in North Carolina, which are already working on implementing improvements in communication about patient care.

One problem that hospitals and primary care physicians face frequently is a failure to share information about a patient’s needs in a timely manner. When this happens, test results may be missed, medications may not be coordinated correctly, and the patient may end up requiring readmission to the hospital, according to the authors of the study.

Lack of communication can also lead to a complete lack of knowledge. For instance, some of the primary care physicians in the study noted that, at times, they never even knew that one of their patients had been to the hospital, according to the Journal of General Internal Medicine study. This problem happened when hospitals failed to communicate with primary care providers.

Even when a primary care doctor’s office was notified that one of its patients had been admitted to the hospital, said the study, confusion continued over whether the hospital or the doctor would supervise follow-up care and how much information would be shared. In these situations, patients may experience similar confusion, as they receive conflicting messages about which doctors to see and where lab results will be sent.

The attorneys of Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC, represent patients who have been harmed by preventable medical errors – including those caused by negligent communication breakdowns – in Seattle and across Washington. Schedule a free consultation by calling us or contacting us online.