A urologist has difficulty discharging a patient from the hospital due to lack of specialist coordination.

However, writing the order “d/c home if OK by pulmonary, hospitalist, ID, and general surgery services” is going to run into some difficulty.

Each service rounds at different times. Some do it early in the morning before clinic or surgery, some after, some in the early evening. Some consultants round at several hospitals and may not immediately be available for your patient.

Although it would be nice to send a simple text message asking for the discharge blessing, I can’t see how consultants can give an answer without seeing the patient first. The more services involved, the longer that will take.

Maybe some of our hospitalist colleagues can give some tips.