Key result
Embedding dedicated case managers and social workers into internal medicine resident teams improved expected discharge date accuracy (72.0% vs 66.7%, P=0.0120) compared to standard care teams.
Why the study?
Efficient discharge planning is crucial for hospital capacity and patient care, but the impact of multidisciplinary rounds on resident teaching teams' discharge efficiency is less studied.
Does embedding dedicated case managers and social workers into internal medicine resident teams improve discharge efficiency and accuracy?
Cross-Sectional (n=1,944)
No
Does embedding dedicated case managers and social workers into internal medicine resident teams improve discharge efficiency and accuracy?
Absolute Event Rate: 72% vs 66.7%
p-value: p=0.0120
Embedding dedicated case managers and social workers into internal medicine resident teams significantly improves expected discharge date accuracy and the use of conditional discharge orders.
Embedding dedicated case managers and social workers may improve discharge accuracy on resident teams; leaves open whether it boosts efficiency or warrants adoption.
BACKGROUND: Efficient discharge planning is crucial for improving hospital capacity and patient care. Multidisciplinary rounds (MDRs) have been shown to enhance communication and coordination, yet their impact on resident teaching teams' discharge efficiency is less studied. AIMS: To examine how embedding dedicated case managers (CMs) and social workers (SWs) into internal medicine (IM) resident teams impacts discharge efficiency. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study at The Queen's Medical Center comparing two resident multidisciplinary teaching (MDT) teams that included dedicated CMs and SWs with two resident standard care teams over an 8-month period (October 18 2023-June 25 2024). The outcomes assessed included length of stay (LOS), expected discharge date (EDD) accuracy, readmission rates and the rate of conditional discharge orders placed. RESULTS: A total of 1944 patients were included. The MDT teams showed significantly improved EDD accuracy (72.0% vs 66.7%, P = 0.0120) and more frequently placed conditional discharge orders (61.7% vs 43.8%, P < 0.0001) compared to standard care teams. No significant difference was observed in LOS or readmission rates. CONCLUSION: Embedding dedicated CMs and SWs within resident teams improved EDD accuracy and the rate of conditional discharge orders placed, suggesting an opportunity to integrate MDRs as a standard within IM residency training to enhance discharge planning efficiency.
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Chong et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Internal medicine patients (n=1,944). Multidisciplinary teaching teams with dedicated case managers and social workers vs. Standard care teams was evaluated on Expected discharge date (EDD) accuracy (p=0.0120). Embedding dedicated case managers and social workers into internal medicine resident teams improved expected discharge date accuracy (72.0% vs 66.7%, P=0.0120) compared to standard care teams.
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