`Conventional' dictated versus database-generated discharge summaries: Timeliness, quality and completeness.

Editorial. Presents the author's thoughts on a study published in this same issue of `Canadian Medical Association Journal' regarding a comparison between dictated and database-generated hospital discharge summaries. Details of the study; The importance of completeness, organization, and timeliness of the reports; Items cited on many reports such as discharge diagnosis and pending laboratory tests; The indication that database-generated discharge were a better option than dictated summaries.