Safety of Rural Nursing Home-to-emergency Department Transfers: Improving Communication and Patient Information Sharing Across Settings

Authors

Judith B. Tupper DHEd, CHES, CPPS, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service
Carolyn E. Gray MPH, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public ServiceFollow
Karen B. Pearson MLIS, MA, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research CenterFollow
Andrew F. Coburn PhD, University of Southern Maine, Muskie School of Public Service, Maine Rural Health Research CenterFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-13-2015

Keywords

Cutler Institute, Population Health and Health Policy, USM Aging Intitiative, Health and Wellness

Publication Title

Journal for Healthcare Quality

Abstract

This article was published in the January/February 2015 issue of the Journal for Healthcare Quality, and reports on the evaluation of a demonstration in 10 rural communities to improve the safety of nursing facility (NF) transfers to hospital emergency departments by forming interprofessional teams of hospital, emergency medical service, and NF staff to develop and implement tools and protocols for standardizing critical interfacility communication pathways and information sharing. The research team at the USM Muskie School worked with each of the 10 interprofessional teams to document current communication processes and information sharing tools and to design, implement and evaluate strategies/tools to increase effective communication and sharing of patient information across settings.

Recommended Citation

Tupper, J. B., Gray, C. E., Pearson, K. B., & Coburn, A. F. (2015). Safety of rural nursing home-to-emergency department transfers: Improving communication and patient information sharing across settings. Journal for Healthcare Quality, 37(1), 55-65. doi: 10.1097/01.JHQ.0000460120.68190.15