Patient discharge and the transition from hospital to home can be brief, but very important to help ensure ongoing patient care and well-being. The transition back to home can be intimidating for many patients, because they no longer have a team of professionals at their bedside, so it is essential to aid the patients with the proper tools to continue their recovery remotely.
However, studies show there is high inconsistency in post-discharge planning throughout the U.S. Improper discharge planning can lead to issues and readmission, which is not a good scenario for the patient, the hospital or the caregivers. Data shows that as many as 40 percent of patients over 65 had medication errors after leaving the hospital, and 18 percent of Medicare patients discharged from a hospital are readmitted within 30 days (caregiver.org). Still, research also shows that exceptional planning along with frequent follow-ups will improve the patient’s health and reduce readmission rates.
The following are essential elements to a solid discharge plan:
Evaluation of the patient by qualified personnel
Discussion with the patient or their representative
Planning for home or transfer to another care facility
Determining whether caregiver training or other support is needed
Referrals to a home care agency and/or appropriate support organizations
Arranging for follow-up appointments or tests
Follow-up calls from the hospital and physician to confirm the patient is recovering and to answer any questions
A thorough discharge plan will help the patient feel more comfortable and confident with their recovery. Ensuring prescriptions are filled and regimens are followed is very important, but it is equally important that the patient receives proper emotional care, personal care and household care. Keeping a close watch on these factors will result in a better recovery process. And key to the above steps is a process of regular follow-up calls by the hospital and/or attending physicians, where patients can speak directly to live representatives about any concerns or questions they may have.
PREMEDEX helps with patient transition to home after hospital discharge, with follow-up calls to patients and important alerts back to hospitals and physicians if an issue is detected. And our results speak for themselves, with patient satisfaction sometimes twice as high from patients receiving follow-up calls from actual people. Learn how the PREMEDEX team of professionals can help you build an improved discharge plan … contact ustoday!