It is often highly desirable for patients to be re-evaluated within the first few days of their discharge, either to repeat a laboratory test or to assess a clinical variable such as blood pressure or the status of a lesion. The alternative of having a patient report to a medical ward to meet the house officer was problematic because the medical record would not be available to document the visit. Finally, delaying a patient's discharge by several days was an unacceptable alternative. Each attending physician for a medical ward team is responsible for the care rendered by house staff in Short-Term Clinic to patients discharged by their team.
Interns indicate their request to use the clinic on the Discharge Instruction Sheet.
Appropriate laboratory tests and radiographic studies must be ordered by the team prior to discharge. If they do not respond in a timely fashion, team nurse liaisons are contacted. To maintain the short term nature of the follow-up clinic, patients will not be scheduled for appointments more than three weeks after discharge. Failure to perform laboratory tests. Appointments made after the team members have rotated off service.