Responses to the survey items, presented separately for internal and external physicians
| Item | Category | Internal | External | Total | P value |
| 2. The DS is a communication tool … | |||||
| 2.1 … among physicians. | 1/2 | 728 (98.1%) | 303 (97.4%) | 1031 (97.9%) | 0.483 |
| 3/4 | 14 (1.9%) | 8 (2.6%) | 22 (2.1%) | ||
| 2.2 … for the information of patients. | 1/2 | 559 (75.8%) | 208 (67.8%) | 767 (73.5%) | 0.009* |
| 3/4 | 178 (24.2%) | 99 (32.2%) | 277 (26.5%) | ||
| 2.3 … for all persons authorised by the patient (legal persons, relatives, caregivers). | 1/2 | 478 (66.5%) | 186 (61.4%) | 664 (65%) | 0.132 |
| 3/4 | 241 (33.5%) | 117 (38.6%) | 358 (35%) | ||
| 2.4 The DS that is comprehensible for patients leads to less time-consuming questions. | 1/2 | 467 (65.8%) | 224 (72.7%) | 691 (67.9%) | 0.034* |
| 3/4 | 243 (34.2%) | 84 (27.3%) | 327 (32.1%) | ||
| 2.5 The DS is usually not read by patients. | 1/2 | 315 (47.2%) | 145 (48.3%) | 460 (47.5%) | 0.781 |
| 3/4 | 353 (52.8%) | 155 (51.7%) | 508 (52.5%) | ||
| 2.6 The patient needn’t understand the DS, as it is explained by the further treating physicians. | 1/2 | 173 (23.9%) | 100 (32.3%) | 273 (26.4%) | 0.006* |
| 3/4 | 551 (76.1%) | 210 (67.7%) | 761 (73.6%) | ||
| 2.7 As part of my education I have attended relevant training courses in the field of communication, such as dealing with patients and relatives. | 1/2 | 347 (48.1%) | 147 (49.7%) | 494 (48.5%) | 0.679 |
| 3/4 | 375 (51.9%) | 149 (50.3%) | 524 (51.5%) | ||
| 2.8 In my education as a physician, the structure and content of the DS was an integral part. | 1/2 | 341 (46.8%) | 171 (55.5%) | 512 (49.4%) | 0.012* |
| 3/4 | 388 (53.2%) | 137 (44.5%) | 525 (50.6%) | ||
| 2.9 I regularly attend training courses on communication. | 1/2 | 227 (31%) | 106 (34.6%) | 333 (32.1%) | 0.274 |
| 3/4 | 506 (69%) | 200 (65.4%) | 706 (67.9%) | ||
| 3. The following are necessary contents in the DS … | |||||
| 3.1 … diagnosis. | 1/2 | 733 (100%) | 311 (100%) | 1044 (100%) | 1.000 |
| 3/4 | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | ||
| 3.2 … therapy. | 1/2 | 730 (99.6%) | 310 (100%) | 1040 (99.7%) | 0.559 |
| 3/4 | 3 (0.4%) | 0 (0%) | 3 (0.3%) | ||
| 3.3 … medical terminology. | 1/2 | 493 (68.7%) | 228 (74.5%) | 721 (70.4%) | 0.062 |
| 3/4 | 225 (31.3%) | 78 (25.5%) | 303 (29.6%) | ||
| 3.4 … specific abbreviations. | 1/2 | 162 (22.8%) | 65 (21.7%) | 227 (22.5%) | 0.742 |
| 3/4 | 547 (77.2%) | 235 (78.3%) | 782 (77.5%) | ||
| 3.5 … recommendations on further treatment. | 1/2 | 729 (99.6%) | 308 (99.7%) | 1037 (99.6%) | 1.000 |
| 3/4 | 3 (0.4%) | 1 (0.3%) | 4 (0.4%) | ||
| 3.6 … prescription of medication. | 1/2 | 720 (98.5%) | 303 (98.4%) | 1023 (98.5%) | 1.000 |
| 3/4 | 11 (1.5%) | 5 (1.6%) | 16 (1.5%) | ||
| 3.7 … control visits and follow-up appointments. | 1/2 | 721 (99%) | 303 (97.7%) | 1024 (98.7%) | 0.137 |
| 3/4 | 7 (1%) | 7 (2.3%) | 14 (1.3%) | ||
| 3.8 … behavioural recommendations for the patients. | 1/2 | 686 (95.3%) | 282 (92.5%) | 968 (94.4%) | 0.075 |
| 3/4 | 34 (4.7%) | 23 (7.5%) | 57 (5.6%) | ||
| 3.9 … therapy recommendations/report from graduated health and nursing staff. | 1/2 | 326 (46.7%) | 160 (52.8%) | 486 (48.6%) | 0.085 |
| 3/4 | 372 (53.3%) | 143 (47.2%) | 515 (51.4%) | ||
| 3.10 … therapy recommendations/report from the clinical social workers. | 1/2 | 375 (53.6%) | 171 (56.8%) | 546 (54.5%) | 0.368 |
| 3/4 | 325 (46.4%) | 130 (43.2%) | 455 (45.5%) | ||
| 3.11 … therapy recommendations/report from the medical-technical services (eg, dietology, physiotherapy). | 1/2 | 473 (67.3%) | 207 (69.2%) | 680 (67.9%) | 0.555 |
| 3/4 | 230 (32.7%) | 92 (30.8%) | 322 (32.1%) | ||
| 3.12 The content of the DS in its current form is sufficient for further treatment. | 1/2 | 571 (81%) | 216 (71.5%) | 787 (78.2%) | 0.001* |
| 3/4 | 134 (19%) | 86 (28.5%) | 220 (21.8%) | ||
| 3.13 The DS in its present form contributes to increase the individual health literacy of patients. | 1/2 | 346 (52.8%) | 115 (41.2%) | 461 (49.4%) | 0.001* |
| 3/4 | 309 (47.2%) | 164 (58.8%) | 473 (50.6%) | ||
| 4.1 In future, the DS should contain further procedures and treatment goals in an understandable way, so that patients themselves can contribute to the improvement of their health. | 1/2 | 573 (79.6%) | 240 (78.7%) | 813 (79.3%) | 0.737 |
| 3/4 | 147 (20.4%) | 65 (21.3%) | 212 (20.7%) | ||
| 4.2 Should the DS be changed in its current form? | 1/2 | 284 (41.4%) | 165 (57.9%) | 449 (46.2%) | <0.001* |
| 3/4 | 402 (58.6%) | 120 (42.1%) | 522 (53.8%) | ||
*Significant values, missing data can occur because of non-response and is not explicitly stated; percentages pertain to available responses.
DS, discharge summary.