Transition of Care

Having robust policies surrounding the discharge and transition of care of older patients is an important step in ensuring your ED is senior-friendly. It will also ensure that the patient doesn’t return to the ED soon after being discharged.

In this section we discuss some protocols for discharge to home, accessing community resources, in-hospital transfers, and returns to nursing homes to name a few. These protocols ensure high-quality long-term care for patients and can prevent harm to older patients with complex presentations.

A Rationale for a “Hold Overnight” Policy for Frail Older Patients

The Rationale Older patients often have non-specific presentations that raise complex medical and psychosocial questions relating to etiology and safe disposition. Falls and changes in behavior, such...Read More

Examples of Change

These examples all relate to Transition of Care.