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An Internet‐Based Communication Network for Information Transfer During Patient Transitions from Skilled Nursing Facility to the Emergency Department
Author(s) -
Hustey Fredric M.,
Palmer Robert M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02864.x
Subject(s) - medicine , emergency department , the internet , intervention (counseling) , acute care , information transfer , medical emergency , transitional care , nursing , emergency medicine , health care , world wide web , telecommunications , computer science , economics , economic growth
OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the implementation of an Internet‐based communication system improves the amount of essential information conveyed between a skilled nursing facility (SNF) and the emergency department (ED) during patient care transitions. DESIGN: Interventional; before and after. SETTING: ED of an urban teaching hospital with approximately 55,000 visits per year and a 55‐bed subacute free‐standing rehabilitation facility (the SNF). PARTICIPANTS: All patients transferred from the SNF to the ED over 16 months. INTERVENTION: An Internet‐based communication network with SNF–ED transfer form for communication during patient care transitions. MEASUREMENTS: Nine elements of patient information assessed before and after intervention through chart review. Secondary outcomes: changes in efficiency of information transfer and staff satisfaction. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty‐four of 237 preintervention and all 276 postintervention care transitions were reviewed. The Internet communication network was used in 78 (26%) of all care transitions, peaking at 40% by the end of the study. There was more critical patient information (1.85 vs 4.29 of 9 elements; P <.001) contained within fewer pages of transfer documents (24.47 vs 5.15; P <.001) after the intervention. Staff satisfaction with communication was higher among ED physicians after the intervention. CONCLUSION: The use of an Internet‐based system increased the amount of information communicated during SNF–ED care transitions and significantly reduced the number of pages in which this information was contained.