Use of a discharge facilitator improves recall of emergency department discharge instructions for acute gastroenteritis.

Objective: To determine whether the use of a bilingual discharge facilitator (DF) improves parental recall of discharge instructions in acute gastroenteritis in a pediatric emergency department (ED).

Methods: A nonrandomized educational intervention study with a historical control was conducted in a tertiary children's hospital between January 2004 and November 2004. English- or Spanish-speaking parents of patients aged 3 months to 18 years with conditions diagnosed as acute gastroenteritis were eligible.