Everyone tries to stay healthy as they get older. But despite a healthy lifestyle, the fact is many seniors will develop chronic conditions as they age. While keeping older adults out of the hospital is important, preventing them from going back to the hospital is even more so. Unfortunately, hospital readmissions have become a problem. As caregivers and health care providers, it’s important to understand what steps can be taken to encourage healthy senior care to avoid potentially dangerous and costly rehospitalizations.
The readmission problem
Hospital readmissions are becoming a growing concern for senior health. According to public health philanthropy group the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, one in eight surgery patients were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged in 2010, with the number of readmissions among standard treatment patients sitting even higher at one in six.
Many of these readmissions are due to preventable causes. Ecaring.com reported that up to 75 percent of readmissions may be completely avoidable. Pursuing these preventative measures is important not just for the health and wellbeing of the seniors, but it also holds important financial incentives. Preventable rehospitalizations can cost Medicare up to $17 billion annually. The challenge lies in determining what may be causing many of these readmissions, so any issues may be dealt with during the first visit.
Pushing for better transition
A certain amount of rehospitalization will be inevitable, especially in instances of chronic illness treatment that requires follow-up visits. But one of the main causes of unplanned readmissions is rooted in the transitional phase of the care process. Moving from a hospital to a home or even assisted living setting can represent an overwhelming change for senior patients and their caregivers. U.S. News & World Report indicated that many common readmission culprits include confusion over medication – the most frequent type being taking an incorrect dose – unpreparedness of the caregivers, or failing to follow up as scheduled with physicians once discharged.
The underlying issue in all of these cases is one of communication. In instances where patients are being discharged with a new medication regimen, ensuring that the patient, their family and any other caregivers have a complete understanding of what the drug is, what the correct dosage is and what effects may be associated with it is crucial. Seniors returning to an assisted living facility can make use of staff members to liaise with the hospital and any follow-up appointments to ensure the proper treatment schedule is followed in order to avoid lapse-based return trips to the hospital.
Date: May 28, 2014