What is Transitional Care?

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• Coordination and continuity of health care during a movement from one healthcare setting to another or home, between health care practitioners and settings as their condition changes
• Especially important for older adults and their caregivers
• Poor “handoff” can result in adverse events, low satisfaction with care, and high rehospitalization rates

Here are some definitions of transitional care. It is the coordination and continuity of care from one hospital setting to another or home. It encompasses many services and environments to promote patients' safe and timely transfer from one level of care to another. Transitional care is especially important for the older population with multiple chronic conditions. Poor handoffs can result in adverse events, low satisfaction, and high rehospitalizations. Discharging patients from the hospital is a complex process with many challenges.

• Over 35 million hospital discharges annually in the US
• The cost of unplanned readmissions is $15-20 billion annually

(Jencks et al., 2009)

There are over 35 million hospital discharges annually in the U.S. The cost of unplanned readmission is 15 to $20 billion annually. 

This Ask the Expert is an edited excerpt from the course, The Importance of Respiratory Therapists in Post Acute Care, presented by Vrati Doshi, MSc, RRT.