Using the Donabedian framework to examine transitional care for cardiac patients and family caregivers

This study aims to examine how health-care managers in acute care and post-acute care facilities support and plan to improve transitional care for cardiac patients and their family caregivers, to better manage care in the home.

A qualitative descriptive approach, guided by appreciative inquiry was used in this study. A purposive sample of 16 participants were engaged in the study. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the caregiver policy lens questionnaire and participated in one of four focus group interviews. The semi-structured focus group interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Using Donabedian's framework, six major themes contributed to how health-care managers can improve transitional care: structure included supporting personnel and continuing education; process included enacting approaches of care, coordinating care among the health-care team and calling to work upstream; and outcomes included needing to clarify expectations of home care services and witnessing the impact of the caregiver role.

These findings demonstrate the importance of Donabedian's core dimensions of structure and processes in influencing caregiver outcomes. These results emphasize the central role of the manager in influencing system change to improve transitional care.