How to write a discharge summary
Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.
The discharge summary is how the next clinician learns what happened in the hospital. A clear one prevents missed results, wrong doses and repeat tests.
Step by step
State the key facts
List admission and discharge dates, the main diagnosis and other active problems. Name the attending and the follow-up clinician. [1]
Summarize the hospital course
Describe what happened by problem, in a few lines each. Include key tests, procedures and how the patient responded. [1]
Reconcile medications
List every medicine as new, changed, stopped or unchanged, with the reason. Compare against the home list so nothing is lost. [2]
Flag pending results
Name any test still pending at discharge and who will follow it up. This is a common source of missed diagnoses. [1]
Write the follow-up plan
Give appointments, labs to repeat and specific tasks for the next clinician. Make each item clear enough to act on. [1]
Give plain-language instructions
Write the patient copy at a low reading level, with warning signs and who to call. Confirm understanding with teach-back. [3]
Send it on time
Finish and send the summary to the primary care clinician on the day of discharge or soon after. [4]
Common errors
- Copying the whole daily note instead of summarizing.
- Leaving out pending results.
- Medication list that does not say what changed and why.
Practice it in VMS
In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.
VMS cases that train this skill
Sources
- AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
- The Joint Commission, National Patient Safety Goals
- AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back)
- NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint
Facts and steps follow AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs); AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.