The effect of transitions intervention to ensure patient safety and satisfaction when transferred from hospital to home health care-A systematic review

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this systematic review is to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of transition interventions to safeguard patient safety and satisfaction during patients' transition from hospital to home health care.

Design: Systematic review.

Data sources: MEDLINE, Ovid Nursing Database, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, Clinical Trials and SveMed+ was systematic searched in January 2019 and September 2020 to identify peer-reviewed papers. No language, geographical or publication date restrictions.

Review methods: Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was used. Data analysis focused on aggregated data and a descriptive synthesis. Risk of bias was rated using Cochrane risk-of-bias tool.

Results: In total, 10,524 references were identified in the literature search, twenty-six articles were included. The interventions were divided into three main groups: (i). systematic patient education pre-discharge; (ii). establishment of contact with the local healthcare services pre-discharge and (iii). follow-up initiated by nurses from the hospital at home post-discharge. The studies either used one intervention or combined two or three interventions. We considered the intervention to improve patient safety or satisfaction when they reported statistically significant results. Only four interventions increased both patient safety and satisfaction, seven interventions increased patient safety and thirteen increased patient satisfaction. Interventions that appear to be quite similar, with the same duration, measured different effects on patients' satisfaction and safety. Interventions that ensured patient safety did not necessarily facilitate patient satisfaction and vice versa.

Conclusion: Interventions can improve patient safety and satisfaction during transfer. However, interventions that improve patient safety or satisfaction do not always match.

Impact: This review suggests that transition interventions can improve patients' safety and satisfaction. However, to compare the impact of future interventions is it important to use standardized measurement tools of satisfaction. There is a need to try out tailored interventions, where interventions are customized to the needs of each patient.

Keywords: discharge; literature review; nursing; nursing intervention; systematic review; transfer; transition.