The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has launched a six-week public consultation on the Draft National Standard for Hospital Discharge Information and is inviting feedback from members of the public, patients, families, carers, and all stakeholders in the health and social care sector.
HIQA is currently undertaking a programme of work to establish a number of health information standards. The aim of a health information standard is to standardise the collection and recording of health information so that it can be shared in the most effective way possible in order to ensure a high-quality, safe service. This standardised approach promotes safety and progressive quality improvements in the health and social care environment and promotes the safety of people using services.
As part of our programme of work, we are revising the National Standard for Hospital Discharge Information (Version 1 of this standard was published in 2013). The National Standard for Discharge Information dataset defines the core set of data elements required when a patient is discharged from hospital back to the care of their general practitioner, and other primary healthcare providers, in order to provide continued safe, high-quality care and support.
The standard, which applies to individuals of any age who are receiving care and treatment in both public and private hospitals. It is being revised in response to developments in the health information landscape, including the establishment of a European Health Data Space, and the publication of the Health Information Bill in 2024 which provides for the creation of Digital Health Records for every patient in Ireland.
The aim of the Draft National Standards for Hospital Discharge Information is to define the core set of data elements required when a patient is discharged from an acute hospital back to the primary healthcare setting, in order to provide continued safe quality care and support. Examples of data elements include reason for admission, treatments, medications and ongoing care plan following discharge from hospital. It is important that the person providing the discharge information ensures accurate and relevant information is shared with the primary care healthcare professional, to enable them to continue ongoing clinical care in a seamless manner.