title: An interdisciplinary approach to transitioning ventilator-dependent patients to home.
abstract: Home mechanical ventilation was once a remote idea and thought to be used only in extreme cases. However, patient preference as well as limited financial resources to care for these patients in a long-term setting is forcing acute care facilities and families to make the choice of home care. This article describes how an interdisciplinary team used a quality process to develop and implement tools to assist with discharge planning in this complex patient population.
authors.affiliation: St. Luke's Lung Institute, Houston, Tex, USA. mwarren@sleh.com
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jarrett
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Senegal
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Debbie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hartgraves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003663:Decision Trees; D005260:Female; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006801:Humans; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000451:nursing / Q000592:standards; D013781:Texas; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000451:nursing / Q000592:standards