Abstract
BackgroundPatients who are discharged from hospital after an acute medical illness often have impaired function that prevents them from returning to their previous place of residence. Assessing each patient’s post-discharge needs takes time and resources but is important in order to reduce unplanned readmissions and adverse events post-discharge.Methods/designWe will conduct a systematic review to synthesize the evidence on prognostic models and their reported accuracy in predicting the location of discharge after a medical admission to an acute care hospital. We will perform searches in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and COCHRANE databases. Pre-defined study, population, and model characteristics will be reported. We will write a narrative summary of included studies. Methodological quality of the studies will be assessed using the QUIPS tool, and the quality of evidence will be evaluated using the GRADE tool.DiscussionEarly and accurate assessment of patient needs for supportive services after discharge has the potential to improve patient outcomes and health system efficiency. This systematic review will identify factors that can accurately predict location of discharge using existing tools and identify priority knowledge gaps to inform future research.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42016037144
Highlights
Patients who are discharged from hospital after an acute medical illness often have impaired function that prevents them from returning to their previous place of residence
While some patients eventually recover to their pre-hospital level of function, many never do [3]. This is especially true for elderly patients with multiple comorbidities, who often require community-based supportive services, or
Matching a patient’s need for assistance to appropriate support is important as it can minimize the risk of unplanned readmissions and adverse events post-discharge [7, 8]
Summary
Patients who are discharged from hospital after an acute medical illness often have impaired function that prevents them from returning to their previous place of residence. Assessing each patient’s post-discharge needs takes time and resources but is important in order to reduce unplanned readmissions and adverse events post-discharge. While some patients eventually recover to their pre-hospital level of function, many never do [3]. This is especially true for elderly patients with multiple comorbidities, who often require community-based supportive services, or Matching a patient’s need for assistance to appropriate support is important as it can minimize the risk of unplanned readmissions and adverse events post-discharge [7, 8]. It often takes considerable time for the appropriate community service or facility to be arranged or become available for each patient.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
