Effective Planning Results A Successful Hospital To Home Transition Program

By Author: Angeliqe Morrison
Total Articles: 51
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Planning makes the difference between success execution of a hospital to home transition program and its unsuccessful counterpart. You have admitted the ailing veteran to a properly run healthcare institute, appointed best of physicians to look after, to make sure about uncompromised treatment standard. You are lucky enough that everything fell into right places and after a certain period of time, the physicians recommend that the patient can be shifted to home. Things are still fine, but only just. Soon after, the same problems start persisting, and the fault wasn’t from the doctor’s end but yours. You failed to tabulate the primitive treatment requirements before, during and post hospitalization phase. The outcome is obvious; there is an increased probability of taking readmission to the hospital yet again.

However, it could have been avoided, provided you maintained coordination between eldercare specialists and patient party to come up with a better clinical output. It calls for a systematic planning that enables patient parties to make prompt yet right decision during the hospitalization phase, as well as make ...
... arrangement for resources to implement proper wellness care for seniors at home. Put together, this integrated approach makes sure that the right back up is there to foster quicker recovery at patient’s own place.

Pre hospitalization stage

Admission requires a properly formulated plan, in case you are certain about the old age complicacies the patient is suffering from, as well as requisite treatment, tests, surgical operations etc. Before admission, prepare a kit that contains the patient’s medical history including current and past medication, test reports, your contact details, list of accessories used by the patient to tackle physical impairment, copies of health insurance papers. This kit makes things easy for the doctors to understand the situation and least time is consumed for diagnosis.

Besides, seek for official information before admitting the patient regarding payment policy, the reporting time, rules and regulations, test reports to be carried etc. During the emergency admission situation, however you aren’t expected to have enough time and prepare that kit. However, do not forget to carry the prescription and medical reports at least.

During the ongoing treatment phase

Unless it’s a critical situation, the stay at hospital is a short term one. Nevertheless, maintain a regular communication with the medical team to stay updated regarding the patient’s response to the ongoing treatment. Things are fine, in case the eldercare specialist working on behalf of the appointed home care nursing services is included in the medical team. In case it’s not, make sure that someone from patient party keeps in touch with that professional and intimates about the treatment results.

After the patient is released

Of course you aren’t expected to maintain the same infrastructure and facilities at home, but can at least try to maintain the basic amenities required for quick recovery. Alternatively, the patient is referred to another medical institute for some specific rehabilitation program. When you are taking the patient back home, make sure that the place is

• Equipped with treatment friendly stuffs like beds, oxygen cylinder, commodes
• Additional supplies like diapers or gloves to maintain hygiene
• Devoid of accessories that could cause accidents, like electrical wire
• Spacious enough, in case the patient requires certain physiotherapeutic exercises to improve mobility