A single post-hospital discharge home visit by a geriatric nurse practitioner or geriatric fellow can bridge the gap and ease the transition for elderly frail patients returning home after hospital admission. We believe this intervention will reduce medication errors, ensure follow-up discharge plans, decrease re-hospitalization rates, and decrease morbidity and mortality.

Condition
COPD Coronary Artery Disease Diabetes Mellitus Stroke

Ages Eligible for Study:  65 Years and above,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:Patients admitted to the ACE unit during the study time frame, age 65 and over, and residing in the community before and after discharge from the hospital. Selected patients will have complex discharge plans including referrals to home care agencies, poly-pharmacy, multiple co-morbidities, history of repeated hospitalizations, and poor social support systems in the community. In addition, eligible patients will have at least one of eight admitting diagnoses, chosen for their high likelihood of requiring post-discharge home care needs. These diagnosis include: CHF, COPD, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, stroke, hip fracture, peripheral vascular disease or cardiac arrhythmia. The GNP or fellow will then request permission from the patient’s primary physician to do a one-time post-discharge home visit.

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Exclusion Criteria:Patients discharged to settings other than their homes (i.e. nursing home, sub-acute rehabilitation, etc.)Patients discharged to settings other than their homes (i.e. nursing home, sub-acute rehabilitation, etc.)

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Please refer to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov identifier  NCT00276367

Study chairs or principal investigators

Aleksandra Zagorin, MA, GNP-C, ANP-C,  Principal Investigator,  Maimonides Medical Center   

Study ID Numbers:  05/12/02
Last Updated:  January 12, 2006
Record first received:  January 11, 2006
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00276367
Health Authority: United States: Maimonides Medical Center
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2006-01-17