title: A Model Home-Delivered Meals Program to Support Transitions from Hospital to Home.
abstract: Meals On Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County (MOWI) collaborated with local community-based organizations and hospitals to provide home-delivered meals and an evidence-based medication management intervention as a care transition service. The model program was designed to address risk factors commonly associated with preventable hospital readmissions. MOWI staff provided meals to 121 patients recently discharged from an inpatient hospitalization or emergency department visit from March 2013 through March 2014. A total of 18,010 meals were delivered to the 121 clients. On average, clients received 6.25 meals per week with meal delivery starting, on average, 8.95 days postdischarge. Ninety-three of the 121 clients also elected to receive the HomeMeds program. Client self-report of health care utilization (e.g., hospital readmission) at three months and six months was lower than expected given client characteristics. Positive changes in the Emergent Care Assessment and resolution of medication alerts provide additional evidence of a positive effect of the home-delivered meals program. More research is needed to document the benefits of home-based care supports following hospitalization.
authors.affiliation: a Baylor Scott & White Health , Temple , Texas , USA.
authors.forename: Jinmyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thorud
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marishak-Simon
authors.forename: Lilly
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frawley
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005522:Food Services; D006699:Home Care Services; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D062407:Meals; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000069341:Transitional Care
keywords: ED visits; Meals On Wheels; home-delivered meals; hospital utilization