Improving discharge safety in a pediatric emergency department.
Errors during the discharge process can lead to return visits and adverse health outcomes. This article describes the implementation of a new standardized discharge process (including a new checklist, provider huddle, and scripted caregiver education) at one children’s hospital. Over a 19-month period, implementation of the revised discharge process led to the elimination of preventable, discharge-related serious safety events and did not result in increased length-of-stay or return visits.