Reducing readmissions through discharge communication: A new HIPAA-compliant app offers 'live' instruction at the bedside.

摘要

One of the most important transitions in the continuum of care is patient discharge. It's absolutely essential for continued health and safety that patients understand their discharge instructions fully and are comfortable with their care plan. Unfortunately, many patients across the country will leave the hospital unsure about what medications to take, when to make a follow-up appointment, and other critical details about their care.Although hospital caregivers explain patient-care instructions in detail and also provide a discharge packet to patients for their transition home or to another clinical setting, several studies suggest that patients often retain very little or don't understand their discharge instructions, which results in poor outcomes and unnecessary readmissions.