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Table 2 Description and key features of the 20 TC innovations

From: A myriad of factors influencing the implementation of transitional care innovations: a scoping review

TC innovation name

Target population

TC innovation—aims and key components

CFIR domains associated with the TC innovation’s implementation

Group I: 10 TC innovations to improve care transitionsb from hospital to home

 APN-directed TCM: Advanced Practice Nurse-directed Transitional Care Model—Bradway et al. 2012, USA [31]

• ≥ 65 years older adults, hospitalized, cognitively impaired

• Presence of a family caregiver (CG)

➢ Aims: to improve patient outcomes and ensure a safe and timely transition

• Advanced practice nurse, role:

daily hospital visits to patient-CG dyad

home (or SNF) visitsa within 24 h post-discharge, a minimum of 4

telephone follow-up and support

development of individualized care plans, patient-CG goals

implementation of risk reduction strategies to minimize effects of cognitive impairment

coordination with a multidisciplinary local team of healthcare experts

building CG ability to identify early symptoms and apply strategies to prevent poor outcomes

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 TCM Role: Transitional Care Manager Role—Couture et al. 2016, Canada [18]

• ≥ 70 years older adults, and/or chronically ill

• Being discharged from hospital, or end of acute care is predictable

➢ Aims: to improve existing discharge planning practices

• Transitional care manager (social worker, or any other healthcare professional, except nurses), a liaison agent role:

improvement of discharge planning by management of environmental and community barriers

exchange of patient information between providers

coordination of care and problem-solving of transitional care

Intervention characteristics

Inner setting

 Community-based TCP: Community-based Transitional Care Program—Hung et al. 2015/2018, USA [32, 33]

• ≥ 65 years older adults

• About to be discharged from hospital

• At high risk of readmission

➢ Aims: to reduce preventable hospital readmissions and improve patient’s quality of life at home and in the community

• Health coach (nurse or social worker), role:

home visits (within 24–48 h) post-discharge, follow-up phone calls and appointments with primary care providers

• Discharge planning using “teach-back” methods

• Connecting older adults to community services and resources

• Support system network

• Advanced care planning

• Wellness coach up to 6 months

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 CTI-Handoff: Care Transition Intervention Handoff—McNeil et al. 2016, Canada [34]

• Frail older adults with complex conditions

• Discharged from hospital and require home care

➢ Aims: to reduce readmissions, improve information transfer, and enhance patient satisfaction

• Patient care handoff between hospital care transition nurse and community rapid response nurse

• Home care and follow-up period up to 30 days

• Referral to hospital-based chronic disease management clinics

Intervention characteristics

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 TCM: Transitional Care Model—Naylor et al. 2009, USA [35]

• Chronically ill, high-risk older adults

• Hospitalized with multiple chronic conditions

➢ Aims: to improve patient outcomes, reduce readmissions, and reduce healthcare costs

• Transitional care nurse, role:

primary care coordinator among providers and ensuring a multidisciplinary approach with open communication

in-hospital patient case assessment and development of care plan

regular home visits and ongoing telephone support (7 days/week over 2 months post-discharge)

continuity of medical care with hospital/primary care and accompanying patients on follow-up visits

• Early identification and response to health risks

• Active engagement of patients and their family/informal caregivers by focusing on education and support

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 NUHS-RHS TCP: National University Health System-Regional Health Systems Transitional Care Program—Nurjono et al. 2019, Singapore [36]

• Older adults, and/or with complex healthcare needs

• Frequent admitters to hospital

• Have limited ambulation and caregivers at home

➢ Aims: to improve quality of care, reduce hospital utilizations, and reduce healthcare related costs

• Care coordinator, an integrator role:

home visits, telephone monitoring

needs and home environment assessment

development of personalized care

promotion of self-care

• Care coordination with a network of medical and social care providers in/out of hospital

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 CTI: Care Transitions Intervention—Parrish et al. 2009, USA [37]

• Older adults, in hospital for chronic disease, and requiring long-term care

➢ Aims: to enhance patient safety during transitions

• 4-week intervention

• Transition coach (nurse or social worker), role:

hospital visit

1 home visit (24–72 h post-discharge)

3 follow-up phone calls

• Improvement of patient’s capacity:

medication self-management

using a patient-centered health record

knowledge of “red flags”

making primary care provider/specialist appointments

Inner setting

Process

 PaTH: Patient Trajectory for Home-dwelling elders—Rosstad et al. 2015, Norway [38]

• Elderly patients requiring home care services after discharge from the hospital

➢ Aims: to improve continuity of care and reduce the need of institutional care

• Continuity of care from hospital and follow-up of home care recipients

• Exchange of patient discharge information between the hospital, local healthcare allocations (municipality-level), and home care services:

local healthcare allocations office evaluate and decide on care assistance

home care service prepares for transition

home care nurse performs comprehensive patient assessment within 3 days upon discharge

general practitioner consults patient 14 days post-discharge

district nurse/nursing assistant performs extended assessment during the first 4 weeks

• Communication among services through a patient daily care plan and patient checklist document

Intervention characteristics

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 BOOST: Better Outcomes by Optimizing Safe Transitions—Williams et al. 2014, USA [39]

• Older adults

• At high-risk of adverse events post-hospital discharge

➢ Aims: to improve patient’s discharge and reduce errors, reduce 30-day readmission rates, and improve patient satisfaction

• Comprehensive intervention toolkit for clinical teams:

risk assessment

patient/caregiver education tools

teach back

discharge summary

follow-up phone call within 72 h

• Implementation guide for multidisciplinary teams

• Individual physician mentoring

• BOOST collaborative across hospitals

Intervention characteristics

Inner setting

Process

 The Bridge Model—Xiang et al. 2018, USA [40]

• Older adults with complex care needs

• Discharged from an inpatient hospital stay

• At risk of readmission due to psychosocial determinants

➢ Aims: to improve care transition and prevent readmission by addressing the psychosocial determinants

• Bridge care coordinator (social worker), role:

hospital visits

biopsychosocial needs assessment and development of a care plan

care coordination and follow-up in person or by telephone throughout 30 days post-discharge

• Collaboration of hospital and community-based organizations for aging services

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Inner setting

Process

Group II: 4 TC innovations to improve care transitionsb from hospital to intermediary care places (residential care or rehabilitation facility) to a final destination

 ICP Geri-Rehab: Integrated Care Pathway in Geriatric Rehabilitation for People with Complex Health Problems—Everink et al. 2017, the Netherlands [41]

• ≥ 65 years frail older adults with complex health problems

• Previously admitted to hospital and geriatric rehabilitation care

➢ Aims: to improve communication between healthcare providers and enhance the triage process during transitions

• Triage instrument for intermediary geriatric rehabilitation facility:

assessment of patient need for admission before movement to home setting

• Care pathway coordinator, role:

communication between professionals and across settings

coordination and continuity of care

• Active involvement of patients and informal caregivers

• Patient discharge summaries

• Evaluation meetings and open communication across providers

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Inner setting

Process

 TC Places: Transition Care Places—Masters et al. 2008, Australia [42]

• Older adults

• Concluded an acute hospital episode

• Requiring more time and support in a non-acute setting to complete their restorative process and optimize their functional capacity

➢ Aims: to minimize inappropriate extended hospital length of stay, prevent inappropriate admission to residential aged care, and optimize patient’s independence/functional capacity

• TC intermediary places located in a residential care facility or a community setting

• Delivery of transition care in TC places:

goal-orientated, individualized

time-limited care

low-intensity therapies and services

case management

• Finalization of long-term care arrangements

Outer setting

Inner setting

Process

 ICM: Intermediate Care Model—Plochg et al. 2005, the Netherlands [43]

• Frail older adults, chronically ill

• Completed medical treatment at hospital but unfit to go home

• Require long-term care

➢ Aims: to reduce length of hospital stays, prevent hospital readmissions, retain patient’s independence

• Transfer unit (beds) located in a residential home:

low-intensity early discharge care model

provision of services bridging the acute, primary, and social care

• Coordination of transitions by hospital liaison nurse

Intervention characteristics

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 TC CAMP: Transition Care Cognitive Assessment and Management Pilot—Renehan et al. 2013, Australia [44]

• ≥ 65 years older adults

• With cognitive impairment (dementia)

• At conclusion of an episode of hospital care

➢ Aims: to reduce readmissions

• TC CAMP intermediary restorative care places located in a residential care facility

• Clinical nurse consultant (CNC), role:

case management

individualized care plan

behavioral management

• “Key to Me,” patient information tool

Intervention characteristics

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

Group III: 2 TC innovations to improve care transitionsb from hospital or home to nursing/residential care facility

 QIP-TC: Quality Improvement Project to Improve Transitions of Care for Older People—Sutton et al. 2016, UK [45]

• Older people

 • In transition between hospital and residential care settings during period of acute illness

➢ Aims: to improve communication and information transfer and reduce readmissions

• Community geriatric service:

geriatrician and community nurse

24-h telephone support and advisory service to facility staff

• Patient information summary form

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 CPN: Follow-up visit by Community Psychiatric Nurse—Van Mierlo et al. 2015, the Netherlands [46]

• Older people with dementia behavioral disturbances

• Expected to be admitted or are advised to move from home into a nursing facility

➢ Aims: to promote continuity of care and improve quality of care

• Community psychiatric nurse (CPN), role:

follow-up visit 6 weeks after placement in a nursing home

clinical and behavioral assessment

support and advice to facility nurse

support to family caregiver

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

Group IV: 4 TC innovations to prevent care transitionsc from nursing facility or home to hospital

 HaH Plus program: Hospital at Home Plus Program—Brody et al. 2019, USA [14]

• ≥ 65 years older adults, requiring inpatient admission

➢ Aims: to reduce mortality, readmission rates, costs, and achieve better patient/caregiver satisfaction

• Acute-level care services provision at home as a substitute for hospital admission, plus

• A 30-day post-acute period of transitional care bundle (self-management, care coordination)

Intervention characteristics

Outer setting

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 OPTIMISTIC: Optimizing Patient Transfers, Impacting Medical Quality, and Improving Symptoms: Transforming Institutional Care project—Ersek et al. 2018, USA [47]

• Frail older residents of nursing facility

➢ Aims: to reduce hospitalizations

• OPTIMISTIC RNs’ and NPs’ role:

identification, assessment, and management of acute conditions in nursing home

promotion of INTERACT (Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers) tools usage

• Care activities organized within 3 care cores: medical, transitions, palliative

Intervention characteristics

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 PCMH + TCM: Patient-Centered Medical Home + Transitional Care Model—Hirschman et al. 2017, USA [48]

• ≥ 65 years older adults with multiple chronic conditions

• In community settings

➢ Aims: to prevent avoidable emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and provide a continuous care management

• Patient-centered holistic approach

• Combination of disease management in primary care settings and home care:

coordination of care during an episode of acute illness across settings, facilitated by:

• Transitional care nurse (TCN), role:

home visits, telephone support

active engagement of patient, family caregivers, and collaboration with primary care providers

coordination of education and community services to develop self-management skills

Outer setting

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

 INTERACT II: Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers—Rask et al. 2017, USA [49]

• Residents of long-term care settings

➢ Aims: to reduce the frequency of transfers to hospital, and improve quality of care for residents

• Identification, evaluation, and communication of resident status changes

• Use of 4 practice tools:

quality improvement

communication

decision support

advance care planning

Outer setting

Inner setting

Characteristics of individuals

Process

  1. RNs registered nurses, NPs nurse practitioners
  2. aSometimes patients are admitted to (SNF) skilled nursing facility prior to going home; they receive visits in both settings
  3. b“Improve care transitions”—to provide and enhance the transitional care and services delivered during physical relocations of older persons from one care setting to another, with a view to creating optimal benefit as a result of the care transition
  4. c“Prevent care transitions”—to provide the care and services needed in order to avert an unnecessary or avoidable physical movement of older persons between two care settings or more