Shortfalls in residents' transfer documentation: challenges for emergency department staff

The international literature reveals that many residents are transferred to ED with inadequate documentation about their medical history. Any gaps in resident documentation have implications for both ED efficiency and the quality of care provided. There are no Australian studies that attempt to identify and explain the relationship between RACF transfer documentation and care provided within the ED. This study examines the resident journey within the ED, and compares the journey for residents who arrived with essential transfer documentation, to residents who did not have essential transfer documentation with them.