title: A Neurohospitalist Discharge Clinic Shortens the Transition From Inpatient to Outpatient Care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medicine hospitalist programs have effectively incorporated hospitalist-run discharge clinics into clinical practice to help bridge the vulnerable transition periods after hospital discharge. A neurohospitalist discharge clinic would similarly allow continuity with the inpatient provider while addressing challenges in the coordination of neurologic care. We anticipated that this would afford a greater total number of patients to be seen and at a shorter interval.
  
  
  METHODS
  The number of posthospital discharge patients who were seen in general continuity per month in the 6 months prior to establishment of neurohospitalist discharge clinic and those seen over 1 full calendar year 6 months after clinic began was compared by reviewing medical records. Average length of time between discharge from hospital and first clinic visit was compared between patients seen in general neurology continuity clinic and those seen in discharge clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase in the average number of postdischarge visits per month after initiation of neurohospitalist discharge clinic compared to prior (16.1 visits vs 10.5 visits, P = .001). Patients were seen significantly sooner after hospitalization in discharge clinic (35.9 ± 4.3 days) compared to those seen in general continuity clinic during the same time epoch (57.6 ± 4.1 days; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Creation of a neurohospitalist discharge clinic was effective in increasing posthospital discharge follow-up frequency and shortening duration of time to follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
authors.forename: Maulik
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
authors.forename: Vanja
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco Medical Center.
authors.forename: S Andrew
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Josephson
keywords: neurohospitalist; outcomes; quality; safety