Table 2.

Comparison of content, content quality, patient perceived understanding, and actual patient understanding for key elements of transitional care

Discharge instruction content (N=377)		Content quality (N=377 unless specified)		Self-reported understanding		Verified understanding
Content item	N (%)	Content item	N (%)	Topic	N (%)	Degree of understanding	N (%)
Reason for hospitalization	370 (98.1)	Includes any language likely to be understood by patients	271 (73.7)	Strongly agree or agree clearly understand reason for hospitalization	349/365 (95.6)	Complete	218 (59.6)
						Symptoms only	118 (32.2)
						None	30 (8.2)
Activity	367 (97.3)	N/A		Strongly agree or agree understand “things responsible for in managing health”	345/360 (95.8)	N/A
Diet	338 (89.7)	Describes low salt for HF	92/146 (63.0)			N/A
Follow-up		Follow-up appointment scheduled with PMD or cardiology	123 (32.6)	Had a follow-up appointment	201/395 (51.0)	Complete*	54/123 (43.9)
						Partial*	41/123 (33.3)
						None*	28/123 (22.8)
		Advised to follow up in certain time frame	192 (50.9)			Complete*	107/192 (55.7)
						Partial*	25/192 (13.0)
						None*	60/192 (31.3)
		No follow-up appointment with PMD or cardiology	62 (16.4)			Made appointment*	35/62 (56.5)
Name/contact info of follow up MD	371 (98.4)	Specific section indicating who to call in case of problems	0 (0)	Know who to call	330/382 (86.4)	N/A
Reason to call doctor/warning signs	371 (98.4)	ACS: dyspnea	182/193 (94.3)	Symptoms to look out for	330/395 (83.5)	N/A
		ACS: cardiac pain	181/193 (93.8)
		Pneumonia: fever	77/91 (84.6)
		Pneumonia: shortness of breath	81/91 (89.0)
		HF: weight gain	133/146 (91.1)
		HF: orthopnea, edema, any kind of dyspnea	139/146 (95.2)

^*Credit given for highest knowledge of either primary care or cardiology appointment

N/A: Not assessed; ACS: acute coronary syndrome; HF: heart failure; PMD: primary medical doctor