Patient and caregiver views on factors affecting the experience of transitioning from hospital to home: patient education
| Unique concept | Representative quote* |
|---|---|
| Receiving a written summary of the hospital admission at discharge | After getting a hospital discharge, my father received no discharge instructions. (Caregiver of male patient, age 50–64) We were provided with a detailed discharge summary that included next steps, including follow-ups, medications and signs to look for re: common complications. (Caregiver of male patient, age ≤ 5) |
| Having contact number(s) of someone to call if there is a problem once home | There was no one I could call once discharged home for the first time to talk about my symptoms. [Having someone to call] might have sent me to the emergency department earlier, thereby avoiding some undue suffering and optimizing my recovery process. (Female patient, age 50–64) The doctor made sure I had his contact information so that if I experienced any complications or had concerns I could call him. I did have complications from a procedure he performed, and being able to contact him helped me get readmitted to the hospital and treated faster. (Female patient, age 50–64) |
| Being prepared by hospital staff to manage symptoms and care at home | There was a good booklet provided about recovery from cardiac surgery, but it would have been great if the most important details were highlighted or individually detailed. (Female patient, age 50–64) Paucity of information on how to manage care at home (what to watch for in changes, improvement or deterioration). (Caregiver of male patient, age 50–64) There was little discussion or instructions with family or long-term care about how to care differently for our loved one upon return to long-term care. (Caregiver of male patient, age ≥ 80) |
↵* Respondent age and gender are provided when available; caregiver respondents provided the age and gender of the patient they were caring for.