Person-centred care - An approach that improves the discharge process

Area of Science:

• Geriatrics
• Cardiology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Effective discharge planning is crucial for bridging the gap between hospital and home care.
• Elderly patients with chronic heart failure often present with comorbidities and functional decline, increasing care complexity.
• A structured Gothenburg person-centred care (gPCC) approach offers a potential solution for optimizing discharge planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency of proactive care-planning using the gPCC model compared to usual care for patients hospitalized with worsening chronic heart failure.
• To assess the impact of gPCC on discharge procedures and resource utilization.

Main Methods:

• A controlled before-and-after study design was employed.
• Patients hospitalized for chronic heart failure exacerbation were allocated to either usual care or a gPCC intervention group.
• Data collected included social situation, discharge destination, time to discharge, and time from notification to care coordination initiation.

Main Results:

• The gPCC group (125 patients) showed more frequent notifications for community services (33.8%) compared to the usual care group (12.1% of 123 patients).
• Discharge planning conferences were initiated within five days in the gPCC group, versus 1-28 days in the usual care group.
• The gPCC group experienced significantly fewer days in hospital (11 days) compared to the usual care group (35 days) once ready for discharge.

Conclusions:

• The Gothenburg person-centred care (gPCC) model enhances discharge processes for chronic heart failure patients.
• Patient involvement in care planning, a core tenet of gPCC, contributes to improved discharge efficiency.
• This approach facilitates smoother transitions from hospital to home, potentially reducing readmissions and improving patient well-being.