Factors That Make It Difficult to Home Discharge of Cancer Patients with the Intention of Home Discharge

ABSTRACT

<p>Purpose: In Kasugai City Hospital, we have introduced palliative care clinical pathway with a focus on decision-making support on the intention of recuperation location in addition to symptom relief. In this study, it is intended to explore the factors that make it difficult to home discharge of cancer inpatients with the intention of discharged home on the basis of the information on the clinical pathway. Methods: The subject patients were cancer inpatients who had expressed the intention of the discharge to the home during period from June 2014 to August 2015. We examined the medical records of the target patient retrospectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to clarify the factors that make it difficult to home discharge. Results: Of 43 patients, 25 patients (58.1%) were discharged from the hospital to the home. As a result of logistic regression analysis (multivariate analysis), delirium and living alone have been extracted as the predictive factors that makes it difficult to home discharge. Conclusion: Delirium and living alone have been suggested as the factors that makes it difficult to home discharge of patients who wish to home discharge. Early detection and early treatment of delirium are important, and early collaboration between the hospital discharge support department and palliative care team for the living alone patient is also necessary.</p>