The study protocol to evaluate implementation of the transitional care model in four U.S. healthcare systems during the Covid-19 pandemic.

This study protocol describes the conceptual framework, design, and methods being employed to evaluate the implementation of the Transitional Care Model (TCM) as part of a randomized controlled trial. The trial, designed to examine the health and cost outcomes of at-risk hospitalized older adults, is being conducted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This parallel study is guided by the Practical, Robust, Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM) and uses a fixed, mixed methods convergent parallel design to identify challenges encountered by participating hospitals and post-acute and community-based providers that impact the implementation of the TCM with fidelity, strategies implemented to address those challenges and the relationships between challenges, strategies, and rates of fidelity to TCM's core components over time. Prior to the study's launch and throughout its implementation, qualitative and quantitative data related to COVID and non-COVID challenges are being collected via surveys and meetings with healthcare system staff. Strategies implemented to address challenges and fidelity to TCM's core components are also being assessed. Analyses of quantitative (established metrics to evaluate TCM's core components) and qualitative data (barriers and facilitators to implementation) are being conducted independently. These datasets are then merged and interpreted together. General linear and mixed effects modeling using all merged data and patients' socio-demographic and social determinants of health characteristics, will be used to examine relationships between key variables and fidelity rates. Implications of study findings in the context of COVID-19 and future research opportunities are suggested. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04212962.

MIRROR-TCM: Multisite Replication of a Randomized Controlled Trial - Transitional Care Model.

In the U.S., older adults hospitalized with acute episodes of chronic conditions often are rehospitalized within 30 days of discharge. Numerous studies reveal that poor management of the complex needs of this population remains the norm. METHODS: This prospective, intent-to-treat, randomized controlled trial (RCT) will assess the effects of replicating the rigorously studied Transitional Care Model (TCM) in four U.S. healthcare systems. The TCM is an advanced practice registered nurse led, team-based, care management intervention that supports older adults throughout vulnerable care episodes that span hospital to home. This RCT will compare health and economic outcomes demonstrated by at-risk older adults hospitalized with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or pneumonia randomized to receive usual discharge planning (control group, N = 800) to those observed by a similar group of older adults randomized to receive the TCM protocol (N = 800). The primary outcome is number of rehospitalizations at 12 months post-discharge, with secondary resource use outcomes measured at multiple intervals. Patient experience with care, health and quality of life outcomes will be assessed at 90 days post-discharge. DISCUSSION: Based on health and economic benefits demonstrated in multiple NIH funded RCTs, the study team hypothesizes that the intervention group, both within and across participating health systems, will have decreased acute care resource use and costs at 12 months and better ratings of the care experience and health and quality of life through 90 days post-discharge compared to the control group. The impact of COVID-19 on implementation of this study also is discussed.

Implications of Transitional Care Interventions on Hospital Readmissions in Patients With Destination Therapy Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

BACKGROUND: The rising number of patients with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) require care management to successfully transition home after implantation. These patients and their families need to manage their heart failure, and the complexities of an LVAD and the associated lifestyle modifications. Translating knowledge of transitional care interventions in patients with chronic diseases to those with an LVAD may provide valuable insight. To help inform the furthering of care transitions in the LVAD patient population, an integrative review was conducted. AIM: The aim of this review was to explore the transitions of care interventions of care in patients and its potential for application in the destination therapy LVAD. METHODS: This integrative review was guided by the Whittemore and Knafl's methodology. RESULTS: A total of 12 articles from 264 retrieved articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the literature review. DISCUSSION: This review identified that evidence-based transitional care interventions have been shown to decrease avoidable rehospitalization, the associated costs, and improve quality of life when compared to usual care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: A common feature of transitional care interventions is the inclusion of nurse leadership. Nurses should be prepared to participate in transitional care interventions to optimally improve outcomes for patients with heart failure and potentially those with an LVAD. Additionally, to make transitional care interventions more effective they should be implemented with moderate intensity or greater. CONCLUSION: This review provided information supporting the trialing of transitional care interventions in patients with an LVAD and suggests pilot research to optimize interventions for this population.

Adaptations of the evidence-based Transitional Care Model in the U.S.

Despite a growing body of evidence that adaptations of evidence-based interventions (EBI) are ubiquitous, few studies have examined the nature and rationale for modifications to the components of these interventions. The primary aim of this study was to describe and classify common local adaptations of the Transitional Care Model (TCM), an EBI comprised of 10 components that has been proven in multiple clinical trials to improve the care and outcomes of chronically ill older adults transitioning from hospitals to home. Guided by Stirman's System of Classifying Adaptations, 582 transitional care clinicians in health systems and community-based organizations throughout the U.S. completed a survey between September 2014 and January 2015; interviews were then conducted with a subset of survey respondents (N = 24) between April and December 2015. A total of 342 survey respondents (59%) reported implementation of the TCM in distinct organizations. Of this group, 96% reported a mean of 4.4 adaptations to the 10 TCM components (40%, one to three; 43%, four to six; and 17%, seven to nine). Nine of ten respondents (94%) reported contextual adaptations while content adaptations were less frequently reported (58%). The top three reported adaptations all related to context (i.e., delivering services from hospital to home, relying on advance practice nurses, and fostering care continuity); interviews clarified a diverse set of reasons for such modifications. Findings reinforce the need for investment in adaptation science and suggest hypotheses to guide rigorous examination of the association between adaptations of TCM components and desired outcomes.

Care Transitions From Patient and Caregiver Perspectives.

PURPOSE: Despite concerted actions to streamline care transitions, the journey from hospital to home remains hazardous for patients and caregivers. Remarkably little is known about the patient and caregiver experience during care transitions, the services they need, or the outcomes they value. The aims of this study were to (1) describe patient and caregiver experiences during care transitions and (2) characterize patient and caregiver desired outcomes of care transitions and the health services associated with them. METHODS: We interviewed 138 patients and 110 family caregivers recruited from 6 health networks across the United States. We conducted 34 homogenous focus groups (103 patients, 65 caregivers) and 80 key informant interviews (35 patients, 45 caregivers). Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed using principles of grounded theory to identify themes and the relationship between them. RESULTS: Patients and caregivers identified 3 desired outcomes of care transition services: (1) to feel cared for and cared about by medical providers, (2) to have unambiguous accountability from the health care system, and (3) to feel prepared and capable of implementing care plans. Five care transition services or provider behaviors were linked to achieving these outcomes: (1) using empathic language and gestures, (2) anticipating the patient's needs to support self-care at home, (3) collaborative discharge planning, (4) providing actionable information, and (5) providing uninterrupted care with minimal handoffs. CONCLUSIONS: Clear accountability, care continuity, and caring attitudes across the care continuum are important outcomes for patients and caregivers. When these outcomes are achieved, care is perceived as excellent and trustworthy. Otherwise, the care transition is experienced as transactional and unsafe, and leaves patients and caregivers feeling abandoned by the health care system.

Meeting the Needs of the Complex Older Adult Patient with Urinary Retention: A Case Study.

This article presents a case study of how a homebound older adult patient with urinary retention is managed by a patient-centered medical home/transitional care model. A description of how a root cause analysis can effectively improve outcomes is also provided.

Components of Comprehensive and Effective Transitional Care.

Transitional care (TC) has received widespread attention from researchers, health system leaders, clinicians, and policy makers as they attempt to improve health outcomes and reduce preventable hospital readmissions, yet little is known about the critical elements of effective TC and how they relate to patients' and caregivers' needs and experiences. To address this gap, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funded a national study, Achieving patient-centered Care and optimized Health In care transitions by Evaluating the Value of Evidence (Project ACHIEVE). A primary aim of the study is the identification of TC components that yield desired patient and caregiver outcomes. Project ACHIEVE established a multistakeholder workgroup to recommend essential TC components for vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries. Guided by a review of published evidence, the workgroup identified and defined a preliminary set of components and then analyzed how well the set aligned with real-world patients' and caregivers' experiences. Through this process, the workgroup identified eight TC components: patient engagement, caregiver engagement, complexity and medication management, patient education, caregiver education, patients' and caregivers' well-being, care continuity, and accountability. Although the degree of attention given to each component will vary based on the specific needs of patients and caregivers, workgroup members agree that health systems need to address all components to ensure optimal TC for all Medicare beneficiaries.

Transitional Care in the Patient-Centered Medical Home: Lessons in Adaptation.

Older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) typically have risk factors (e.g., functional deficits, social barriers) that complicate the management of their healthcare, often with devastating human and economic consequences. Finding new ways to provide patient-centered care to community-based older adults with MCCs is essential. Two current models of care, the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) and the Transitional Care Model (TCM), have demonstrated improvements in the outcomes of high-risk older adults at different points on the chronic illness trajectory. However, neither care management approach has optimally engaged vulnerable patients to address needs throughout both acute and more stable transitions in health. In this article, we summarize the development of the PCMH plus TCM (hereafter, PCMH + TCM), an innovative approach to care, and the experience of the providers involved in testing the feasibility of implementing the PCMH + TCM. Using content analyses to code open-ended survey responses from transitional care nurses and PCMH clinical leaders', two major themes, collaboration and communication, emerged as critical to the process of implementing the PCMH + TCM. Barriers and facilitators to implementing the PCMH + TCM are presented. Findings support that the TCM can be adapted and integrated into the PCMH with meticulous planning and implementation.

Continuity of Care: The Transitional Care Model.

Older adults with multiple chronic conditions complicated by other risk factors, such as deficits in activities of daily living or social barriers, experience multiple challenges in managing their healthcare needs, especially during episodes of acute illness. Identifying effective strategies to improve care transitions and outcomes for this population is essential. One rigorously tested model that has consistently demonstrated effectiveness in addressing the needs of this complex population while reducing healthcare costs is the Transitional Care Model (TCM). The TCM is a nurse-led intervention targeting older adults at risk for poor outcomes as they move across healthcare settings and between clinicians. This article provides a detailed summary of the evidence base for the TCM and the model's nine core components. We also discuss measuring the TCM's core components and the overall impact of this evidence-based care management approach.