title: Outcomes in a nursing home transition case-management program targeting new admissions.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, 3333 California Street, Suite 455, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA. robert.newcomer@ucsf.edu
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Newcomer
authors.forename: Taewoon
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graham
mesh_terms: D017028:Caregivers; D019090:Case Management; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010343:Patient Admission