title: Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes-Care Transitions: Enhancing Geriatric Care Transitions Through a Multidisciplinary Videoconference.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether a novel videoconference that connects an interdisciplinary hospital-based team with clinicians at postacute care sites improves interprofessional communication and reduces medication errors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  One tertiary care medical center and eight postacute care sites.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital-based providers (hospitalists, geriatricians, pharmacists, social workers, medical trainees, and subspecialists) and postacute care clinicians.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients discharged to eight postacute care sites were discussed in a weekly videoconference.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preliminary data including demographic characteristics of the patients discussed, postacute care provider satisfaction survey results, and data on medication errors are reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 2 years, 907 patients were discussed; 84.6% were discussed with staff at subacute skilled nursing facilities and the remainder with clinicians at one long-term acute care facility. They had an average hospital length of stay of 6.8 days. Postacute care providers felt that the videoconference enhanced communication and provided much-needed access to information and hospital staff. Of the 106 pharmacy discrepancies identified, 16% involved an omission of a medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As increasing numbers of older adults are discharged to postacute care facilities, they face high-risk care transitions. Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes-Care Transitions (ECHO-CT) facilitates interdisciplinary communication between hospital and postacute care providers, who normally have minimal interaction. Preliminary data suggests that ECHO-CT may improve the transitions of care processes between these sites.
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Farris
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Mousumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sircar
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bortinger
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: J Elyse
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Krupp
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.affiliation: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.|Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Lewis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lipsitz
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.|Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattison
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D059065:Medication Reconciliation; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010351:Patient Discharge; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D019467:Subacute Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D049269:Videoconferencing
keywords: hospital medicine; medication reconciliation; postacute care; readmissions