Who is primarily responsible for the quality and completion of a discharge summary?

The attending physician is primarily responsible for the quality and completion of a discharge summary because they are the medical professional who has the most direct involvement in the patient's care during their hospital stay. This responsibility includes ensuring that the discharge summary accurately reflects the patient's condition at the time of discharge, any treatments or procedures performed, follow-up care instructions, and necessary patient education.

The attending physician's role is critical as they must synthesize all relevant clinical information into a coherent summary that serves multiple purposes, such as facilitating continuity of care, providing information for future healthcare providers, and documenting the patient's treatment process for legal and administrative reasons. They must also ensure that the information is complete, accurate, and adheres to established standards and guidelines for documentation.

Other roles, like the nurse manager or health information technician, might contribute to the process or aid in the documentation, but they do not have the ultimate responsibility for the discharge summary’s content. The chief medical officer oversees quality and compliance but does not directly create the discharge summary. Hence, the attending physician is correctly identified as the individual most accountable for this essential documentation.