Effect of Post-discharge Phone Calls on Patient Outcomes

Effect of Post-discharge Phone Calls on Patient Outcomes for General Internal Medicine Patients Discharged From a Teaching Hospital.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a post-discharge telephone call to general medical patients discharged home will improve quality of care and adherence, and reduce hospital readmission.

Currently, discharge from hospital in many institutions is a confusing process for patients filled with uncertainty and potential for harm. For instance, 1 in 5 discharges results in a post discharge adverse event, many of which are related to medication errors. These may lead to serious harm and possibly require readmission to hospital. Telephone follow-up calls after discharge has been studied in small single-center trials and as a part of a coordinated, multi-layered discharge process but its direct effectiveness is not known. Understanding the impact of this simple intervention on patient outcomes is an important step towards improving patients' discharge from hospital.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Admission to internal medicine ward
• Discharged to home
• Must have telephone access

Exclusion Criteria:

• Discharged to care facility
• Lack of telephone access