Patient and caregiver views on factors affecting the experience of transitioning from hospital to home: medications
| Unique concept | Representative quote* |
|---|---|
| Medication effects, adverse effects and schedule explained clearly before leaving hospital | My medication schedule was explained clearly to me before I left the hospital. (Female patient, age 50–64) The person I care for did not understand how to take the medications, and no one spent the time explaining. (Caregiver of female patient, age 65–79) |
| No training or support on how to manage complex medication needs once home | Managing the [medications is] extremely complex when your loved one is dying — more nursing care is required at home. (Caregiver of female patient, age 50–64) Having to inject medication for yourself is a big responsibility. (Female patient, age 65–79) |
| Errors about medications on the discharge summary or prescription | After one discharge, the medications on the discharge summary were not correct. (Caregiver) When I left, I was given 2 inhalers, 1 Ventolin and another bronchial powder inhaler. I was a bit surprised but only noticed a month later that they were both addressed to someone else. (Female patient, age 50–64) |
| Having challenges filling a prescription soon after discharge | Not able to get discharge prescriptions prior to discharge, no offer to fax to drug store, so by time I got [the patient] home and the analgesic picked up, he was at least 2 hours late in getting [it]! (Caregiver of male patient, age 50–64) My family member’s medications were not readily available at any pharmacy, and she was sent home on a Saturday evening, so hospital outpatient pharmacy closed. (Caregiver of female patient, age 26–49) |
| No plan for pain management once discharged | [Alternative] treatments other than pain [medications] not considered or offered. (Female patient, age 26–49) Before leaving, a plan for pain management was not adequately addressed, [such as] dosage ranges to accommodate movement at home versus hospital. (Caregiver of female patient, age 6–18) |
| Pain medications prescribed at discharge are too strong or not strong enough | My 11-year-old was prescribed morphine for pain. After the first night at home, she had a reaction, so I switched to Children’s Advil and she was fine. Why an opioid for a child? (Caregiver of female patient, age 6–18) My father has been on prescription pain medications for too long. Need support getting him off these drugs given to him by doctors. (Caregiver of male patient, age 65–79) |
| Having to pay out of pocket for medications and medical supplies | Cost of medicine or supplies out of pocket are high. (Female patient, age 26–49) The staff on the floor “forgot” to return patient’s [prescribed] medications that we brought in to use because they were not on their formulary ... necessitating extra expense/money to replace these. (Caregiver of female patient, age 65–79) |
↵* Respondent age and gender are provided when available; caregiver respondents provided the age and gender of the patient they were caring for.