Improving Transitional Care for Older Adults: Results of a Patient-Centred Quality Improvement Intervention

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation and outcomes of a quality improvement intervention for older adults discharged from hospital to home, that used a patient-centred discharge education tool called the Patient-Centered Discharge Plan (PCAP). We conducted a pre-post evaluation of PCAP implementation among patients 65 years and older and discharged home from an acute medical or geriatric admission at two general hospitals. Two patient cohorts, PRE and POST, were analysed using administrative data (n = 3,309) and post-discharge structured interviews in a subset of patients (n = 326). Outcomes were 90-day readmissions and return emergency department (ED) visits, and transition experiences (10-item scale). The PCAP was provided to 20 per cent of 1,683 patients. Transition experience scores increased from PRE to POST at both hospitals (adjusted beta 1.3; 95% CI: 0.8, 1.7), and return ED visits declined in one of the two hospitals (adjusted decline 1.3%; 95% CI: -3.7, 6.2). In conclusion, dedicated resources are needed to support future PCAP implementation.