Outcomes in a nursing home transition case-management program targeting new admissions.
OBJECTIVE
The Providing Assistance to Caregivers in Transition (PACT) program offers nursing home discharge planning and case management for individuals in the transitional period following a return to the community. The PACT program targeted individuals newly admitted to nursing homes and worked with a family caregiver to develop and implement a nursing home discharge plan.


METHODS
Reported are the results of a randomized control design evaluating the program's effectiveness. Those individuals randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 33) received PACT case management in addition to their usual medical and nursing home care. The individuals in the control group (n = 29) continued their usual care.


RESULTS
There were no statistical differences in the discharge rate (84% treatment vs 76% controls) or in the median length of stay (42 days vs 55 days) between the two groups of individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
Replications or extensions of a PACT-type intervention might consider a broader mix of nursing homes, working directly with the nursing home's admission Minimum Data Set coordinator in patient selection, or working with Medicare or Medicaid HMO plans.
Newcomer
Robert
R
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, 3333 California Street, Suite 455, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA. robert.newcomer@ucsf.edu
Kang
Taewoon
T
Graham
Carrie
C
D017028:Caregivers; D019090:Case Management; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010343:Patient Admission