Moving elderly inpatients to a transitional care facility reduced hospital stay but increased time to transfer to long term care
Q What are the effects of moving elderly inpatients waiting for a long term care bed to a transitional care facility (TCF)?
METHODS
Design:
randomised controlled trial.
Allocation:
{concealed}.*
Blinding:
blinded {data collectors and outcome assessors}.*
Follow up period:
4 months.
Setting:
3 public hospitals in southern Adelaide, Australia.
Patients:
320 patients in acute care hospital beds who were to be transferred to long term care, had completed assessments, and were medically stable and ready for hospital discharge; patients with dementia and behavioural problems were included if no additional nursing staff would be required for their care.
Intervention:
212 patients were allocated to be moved to an off-site TCF, which was run by the 3 hospitals and a private provider. Care was based on a medical rehabilitation model that included setting goals, early multidisciplinary assessment, weekly case conferences, and family meetings. A hospital based transitional care nurse coordinator liaised …
