The Effect of a Telegeriatrics Post Discharge Follow Up Model on the Outcome of Acute Care Patients

Abstract

Abstract Background The post discharge period is a critical time for vulnerable patients, like the elderly, prone to unnecessary readmissions. This is mainly because post discharge care continuity is often interrupted after hospital care. The implementation of close monitoring and effective communication strategies has proven to be effective in mitigating adverse events and reducing the incidence of readmissions. Due to the pressing need for medical care that is both cost-effective and time-efficient, there has been a growing interest in exploring remote or telehealth methods for delivering healthcare services. Aim To assess the effect of a telegeriatrics post discharge follow up service on the primary outcome measures of patients as regard rate of readmission, mortality rate, and complications from the disease or medications. Patients and Methods A prospective descriptive study that was conducted from June 2021 till January 2023 on a total of 139 elderly patients discharged from the acute care units of Ain Shams University Hospitals. We collected data using asynchronous telemedicine (WhatsApp) and synchronous method (phone). The follow up was at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months post discharge. Results Hypertension was the most frequent comorbidity (71.9%). Cases that followed up by both methods of telemedicine had better compliance than cases that only followed up using synchronous telemedicine (90.8% vs. 57.9%). They were also less likely to require hospital care (28.3% vs. 52.6%). They also suffered less complications from disease (20.0% vs. 52.6%) and lower risk of all-cause mortality (7.5% vs. 15.8%). Conclusion Telemedicine is a valuable tool. Using a post-discharge protocol of both synchronous and asynchronous methods of telemedicine improves patients’ compliance and outcomes.