Transitional care is a way of managing patients with chronic illnesses while they are moving between inpatient hospital stays and home. The programs generally involve a team of healthcare providers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and others.
These teams are found in hospitals, nursing homes, and other institutions where patients are likely to stay for an extended time. The goal of transitional care is to make it easier for the patient to transition from the hospital setting back to their normal life.
This includes helping the patient to prepare for the absence of medical specialists and technology that might be available in a hospital setting. Transitional care is provided while patients are still in hospitals to improve the discharge process.
This is especially useful for patients who require multiple medications and close follow-up after hospitalization. The following are some of the benefits of transitional care for a patient.
Helps manage chronic diseases
The medical professionals in transitional care units focus largely on treating chronic diseases such as diabetes and congestive heart failure. This enables patients to return home at greater rates than those who receive acute care alone
Provides post-discharge follow-up
Finding a provider to manage their needs may be difficult for patients discharged from an institution after their release. Transitional care units can provide these services, which allow patients to recover more quickly and efficiently without losing contact with critical support systems.
Reduces readmissions
This is a common reason for receiving hospital care. In recent years, the number of patients returning to hospitals at night has been rising, leading to unnecessary costs for healthcare services.
Patients’ health improves when they can stay home and receive required treatment after an extended time in an institution. It ensures that these patients have a better quality of life.
Helps diagnose conditions earlier
Transitional care units offer treatment options that patients in their homes can use. It makes them a greater diagnostic tool than traditional facilities requiring hospitalization.
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Final thoughts
Studies show that transitional care units can actively increase patient satisfaction, reduce hospital lengths of stay, and decrease costs. These benefits make transitional care units an important and beneficial addition to a hospital’s services.
Hospitals are now taking an interest in these units and making them more readily available. Since these units are so beneficial, surely it is necessary for all hospitals to adopt them.