Training in the hospital entails learning how to write the discharge summary—a now ubiquitous tool that recaps a patient’s time on the ward and details the next steps to be taken by the patient and her care providers on the road to recovery. The writer of the discharge summary is the quarterback who determines actionable tasks for each provider.

I have noticed an odd theme permeating the language of discharge summaries: specialist physicians are almost always designated by name, while the patient’s family physician often remains nameless: “Dr Smith (gastroenterology) to do endoscopy in 2 weeks. Dr Jones (hematology) to evaluate pancytopenia. Family physician to see patient in 2 weeks for a follow-up appointment.”

Perhaps we write this way because we assume the patient has no doubt as to who “family physician” is—at least, when they have one. Conversely, connecting with specialists in the community can be overwhelming, and having a name may streamline getting in the door. And yet, the depersonalization of family physicians in discharge summaries subtly reveals a hidden curriculum that disrespects colleagues on the front lines of primary care. We may not do this deliberately, but we can do better. Names matter. Let’s make sure every member of the medical team has one.
—Max Deschner, BA, University of Ottawa MD Candidate, Class of 2018
Kelowna