Objective To develop, implement and evaluate a personalized patient discharge letter (PPDL) to improve the quality of handoff communication from hospital to home. Design From the end of 2006–09 we conducted a quality improvement project; consisting of a before–after evaluation design, and a process evaluation. …

BACKGROUND: Many intensive care unit survivors (ICU) are confronted with undesirable and long-lasting impairments in physical, cognitive, and mental health, but not only patients are at risk of developing this post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Family members can experience symptoms of depression, …

BACKGROUND: Over 30 % of older patients experience hospitalization-associated disability (HAD) (i.e., loss of independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)) after an acute hospitalization. Despite its high prevalence, the mechanisms that underlie HAD remain elusive. This paper describes the protocol …

Importance Older adults acutely hospitalized are at risk of disability. Trials on comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and transitional care present inconsistent results. Objective To test whether an intervention of systematic CGA, followed by the transitional care bridge program, improved activities …

BACKGROUND: Critical illness and the problems faced after ICU discharge do not only affect the patient, it also negatively impacts patients' informal caregivers. There is no review which summarizes all types of burden reported in informal caregivers of ICU survivors. It is important that the burdens …

Objectives: to compare changes over time in the in-hospital mortality and the mortality from discharge to 30 days post-discharge for six highly prevalent discharge diagnoses in acutely admitted older patients as well as to assess the effect of separately analysing the in-hospital mortality and the mortality …

Background: Many patients show deterioration in functioning and increased care needs in the last year of life. End-of-life care needs and health care utilization might differ between groups of acutely hospitalized older patients. Aim: To investigate differences in geriatric conditions, advance care planning, …

Background: Postprocedural complications after elective cardiac interventions include hematomas and infections. Telemedical wound assessment using mobile phones with integrated cameras may improve quality of care and help reduce costs. Aims: We aimed to study the feasibility of telemedical wound assessment …

Aims and objectives: To describe the process of implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) in a clinical nursing setting. Background: EBP has become a major issue in nursing, it is insufficiently integrated in daily practice and its implementation is complex. Design: Participatory action research. Method: …

Bridging the gap between hospital and primary care is important as transition from one healthcare setting to another increases the risk on drug-related problems and consequent readmissions. To reduce those risks, pharmacist interventions during and after hospitalization have been frequently studied, …