title: Characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients receiving transitional care.
abstract: Transitional care programs are one method of providing care to elderly high-risk patients. The aims of this study were to determine if patient characteristics (including number of comorbidities, functional status, and length of stay during initial hospitalization) and social factors (including presence of a caregiver in the home and place of discharge disposition) were associated with increased hospital readmission and mortality for patients discharged from specialized transitional care.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Faculty, School of Nursing and Department of General Medicine and Primary Care, Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, USA. pparsons@mail2.vcu.edu
authors.forename: Pamela L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gifford
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000359:Aftercare / Q000458:organization & administration; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019456:Health Transition; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009720:Nurse Clinicians / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration; D009731:Nursing Audit; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies