A trip to the hospital often means crisis for those in assisted living facilities. Hospital patients may be rushed through the discharge process and sent home with a list of prescriptions, with little forethought or plans for aftercare. After all, the hospital worker’s job is done as soon as the patient leaves through the front door, but the effects of surgeries and other treatments are far from over. That’s why it’s important to have a good aftercare plan.
- Patient advocate. Whenever possible, the patient should have an advocate present whenever discharge plans are made. The patient advocate can make a list of medications, physical therapies, and other plans for aftercare, and assist the patient in asking questions of doctors and nurses as well as recording their responses. The patient advocate should not be shy in pursuing answers or getting updated information. Remember that access to hospital staff will be extremely limited after discharge. This is probably the best time to get the advice of healthcare workers who are up to speed on all the details.
- Discharge plan. All the information should be collated into a discharge plan, which includes medication schedules, any food or drinks to avoid, orders for bed rest and wound care, and when the patient can resume normal activities. A simple form can help you prepare the plan, and could help remind you of certain questions to ask prior to discharge from the hospital.
- Follow up. An aftercare appointment with the attending physician or surgeon should be made before leaving the hospital. While it’s common for this visit to take place within a week or two after a hospital stay, the doctor will give orders for when the patient should be seen. You will also want to schedule a follow up visit with the patient’s primary care provider so that aftercare can be integrated with the patient’s existing healthcare plans. In most cases, you should be sure the primary care provider will receive copies of hospital records. At some point, the attending physician or surgeon may transfer care of the patient back to the primary care provider, meaning the hospital records and any information from the follow up visit will be essential for ongoing healthcare.
After surgery or serious illness, patients may not be the best ones to advocate for themselves. The body has undergone trauma in many cases, and side effects from pain medications may make it hard to concentrate and/or remember important details. Successful aftercare often depends on the involvement of loved ones to track details and put together a discharge plan. The plan can then be implemented by healthcare providers or other caregivers.