Tips for reducing hospital transfers - SpecialtyRx
May 29, 2019
Tips for reducing hospital transfers

Researchers say ‘mistrust’ is a leading reason for hospital transfers

Let’s see how we can educate and inspire confidence in families

In recent years, skilled nursing facilities have seen a troubling trend” When a resident becomes sick or frail (usually when end of life is imminent), relatives move them to the emergency department. The decision is typically made out of fear or doubt that the facility can provide adequate care. Sometimes, it’s simply due to ignorance. What families fail to realize is that hospital transfers are expensive, dangerous to the patient, and oſten unnecessary. A new study hopes to dispel the stigmas surrounding nursing homes and remind the public that skilled nursing providers are more than capable of delivering quality palliative care.

 

Tips for reducing hospital transfers

 

Trust through telehealth Lead author of the study, Caroline Stephens, Ph.D., told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, “It’s important to help families understand more care does not necessarily translate to better care for their loved ones and we need to ensure that the care we are providing is congruent with what they want.”

The team concluded that part of giving families what they want is convincing them that physicians are very much present, just not always in person. Introducing virtual doctors’ assessments and sharing these real time communications with families can help build their confidence in your facility. According to Stephens, “the power of the visual” cannot be underestimated.