Implementing a transitional care program for patients from hospital to home could reduce readmission rates up to 20 percent, according to a recent study.
Researchers found that helping people recently released from the hospital understand how to care for themselves and informing their primary care doctors about their stay may reduce their risk of being admitted back into the hospital.
"The time of discharge from the hospital was a very vulnerable time for patients with complex care needs and we need to get resources in place to make sure they go more smoothly," said Dr. Annette DuBard, the lead author of the study that calculated the rate of readmissions of more than 13,000 Medicaid patients in North Carolina.
Studies conducted at individual hospitals have also found that programs that teach patients and their families how to manage their medical conditions at home and follow up with patients after they were back home have promising results. Read the full details here:
Hospital to home focus may reduce readmissions, study finds
Early discharge from the hospital is a leading cause of both re-admission as well as medical malpractice and wrongful death in the U.S. Better transition plans are necessary to protect against this.
If you have been injured due to medical malpractice please call to investigate your matter fully. Crandall & Pera Law is available to help answer your questions and guide you in determining your next steps.