MedPath

Effect of Post-discharge Phone Calls on Patient Outcomes

Completed
Conditions
Transition
Registration Number
NCT01580774
Lead Sponsor
Mount Sinai Hospital, Canada
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a post-discharge telephone call to general medical patients discharged home will improve quality of care and adherence, and reduce hospital readmission.

Detailed Description

Currently, discharge from hospital in many institutions is a confusing process for patients filled with uncertainty and potential for harm. For instance, 1 in 5 discharges results in a post discharge adverse event, many of which are related to medication errors. These may lead to serious harm and possibly require readmission to hospital. Telephone follow-up calls after discharge has been studied in small single-center trials and as a part of a coordinated, multi-layered discharge process but its direct effectiveness is not known. Understanding the impact of this simple intervention on patient outcomes is an important step towards improving patients' discharge from hospital.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
334
Inclusion Criteria
  • Admission to internal medicine ward
  • Discharged to home
  • Must have telephone access
Exclusion Criteria
  • Discharged to care facility
  • Lack of telephone access

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Care Transition Measure-3 score (CTM-3)30-days post discharge
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Hospital readmission30-day post discharge
Patient satisfaction30-days post discharge
Emergency department visit30-days post discharge
Treatment plan adherence30-days post discharge
Outpatient provider follow-up rates30-days post discharge

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Mount Sinai Hospital

🇨🇦

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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