Transitional care is a vital aspect of healthcare for many patients because those who don’t receive adequate aftercare services can often end up relapsing or finding themselves readmitted to the hospital. Those providers who don’t typically work with patients may not have a full grasp of what it means to be a transitional care provider or they may not know what is involved in the process of providing this kind of care to patients if they have traditionally seen patients in a clinical setting. There’s a lot a provider must understand when it does come to transitional care management and the systems used in providing this level of care. Let’s break it down.
What Is Transitional Care?
Transitional care management is a system designed for healthcare providers, primarily physicians but also including some non-physician specialists, such as certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants, to be able to help care for patients after discharge from a facility, such as a hospital. It typically involves one face-to-face meeting, after which the patient and their healthcare provider can continue to meet via telephone or video calls. Essentially, the point of transitional care management is to make sure no gaps occur in the process of caring for a patient.
What are the Requirements?
All physicians, including physicians of any specialty, are able to provide transitional care. However, for those specialists looking to provide this level of care, it’s important to note the individual must be fully licensed in their area of specialization. Patients who might need transitional care management and qualify for the service include all those released from an appropriate, certified setting, such as a skilled nursing facility. Additionally, those who have received long-term care from a hospital, whether inpatient or as part of an ongoing outpatient program, may also qualify for this level of care.
If you are ready to learn more about transitional care management, contact us to learn more.
