title: Transitional care of the long-term care patient.
abstract: This article reviews the literature on transitional care to and from the LTC environment, highlighting strategies to improve the quality of care transitions. Several factors are vital in the improvement of systems of care dealing with transitions. Key factors include communication with and among health care providers, effective medication reconciliation, advanced discharge planning, and timely use of palliative care.
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Geriatrics, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. oakes@uthscsa.edu
authors.forename: S Liliana
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.forename: Suzanne M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finley
authors.forename: Mathew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Neela K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Espino
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D059065:Medication Reconciliation; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care