None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
A comprehensive evidence based approach to transition care: 1. improves patient and carer ratings of the quality of the care transition at 3 months following admission to a residential transition care program, and 2. reduces unplanned days in hospital and residential aged care up to 12 months following study enrolment, when compared to usual care.
Interventions
The patient and carer met with a geriatrician approximately 2 weeks following admission. A Question Prompt List (QPL) and audiotape were utilised as information strategies. An experienced aged care nurse met with the patient and carer pre-discharge to review and update the care plan and check patient and/or carer understanding of medications. The nurse also initiated telephone contact in the first month post discharge. Recruitment commenced in May 2008 and was completed in March 2010. The sample
The patient and carer met with a geriatrician approximately 2 weeks following admission. A Question Prompt List (QPL) and audiotape were utilised as information strategies. An experienced aged care nurse met with the patient and carer pre-discharge to review and update the care plan and check patient and/or carer understanding of medications. The nurse also initiated telephone contact in the first month post discharge. Recruitment commenced in May 2008 and was completed in March 2010. The sample size was increased in June 2009 to provide greater statistical power to detect differences in health resource utilisation (a secondary outcome measure). There is a 12 month follow-up of patients and carers. Final analysis will be undertaken from June 2011.
Sponsors
Repatriation General Hospital
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
0 to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Admission to a single residential transition care setting during the recruitment period (Feb 2008-Feb 2009). Presence of an informal (unpaid carer) who consents to participate in the study.
Exclusion criteria
Patients will be excluded if they are unable to communicate in English. Carers will be excluded if they are unable to read and understand written English.
Outcome results
None listed