title: Model of hospital-supported discharge after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Readmission rate within 6 months after a stroke is 40% to 50%. The purpose of the project was to evaluate whether an interdisciplinary stroke team could reduce length of hospital stay, readmission rate, increase patient satisfaction and reduce dependency of help.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and ninety-eight patients with acute stroke were randomized into 103 patients whose discharge was supported by an interdisciplinary stroke team and 95 control patients who received standard aftercare. Baseline characteristics were comparable in the 2 groups. The patients were evaluated after 6 and 12 months regarding functional status and need for help.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Length of hospital admission was insignificantly shorter in the intervention compared with the control group (35.2 versus 39.8 days). There was no significant difference in readmission, GP-visits, and primary health care services. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in functional scores or patient satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this setting we could not show benefit of an interdisciplinary stroke team supporting patients at discharge perhaps because standard aftercare was very efficient already.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Department B, Glostrup University Hospital, Denmark. rydahl-torp@mail.dk
authors.forename: Claus Rydahl
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Torp
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vinkler
authors.forename: Kirsten Damgaard
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Finn Rønholt
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Torben
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Willaing
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olsen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation