Transitions of Care in Geriatric Medicine

Elderly patients are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality after injury or surgery in both the inpatient and postdischarge settings. The importance of discharge destination after the index hospitalization is increasingly recognized as a determinant of long-term survival, with discharge to a post-acute care facility portending a worse prognosis. Efforts to minimize discharge to post-acute care facilities should include early discharge planning. Communication among a multidisciplinary care team sets the groundwork for effective discharge planning and transitions of care. The elderly face several systematic, psychosocial, functional, and financial barriers that pose significant challenges to successful transitions of care.