Many parts of the ED encounter interfere with patient or family comprehension, not the least of which is the ED’s noisy, hurried environment.

But other factors affect what they understand and remember about the encounter—their previous experiences with the condition, their language and reading comprehension, stress, and the physician’s multitasking.

The discharge conversation is the last and most important chance you have to educate a patient, and quality communication can maximize the chances the patient will understand your diagnosis, follow your instructions, fill the prescriptions, and know when to return (and when not to).

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