Local Rural Hospitals Collaborate to Study Transitions in Care

‘Transitions in care’ happen as patients move from one setting to the next. Transitions are times when patients can fall through the cracks and experience setbacks that can result in unnecessary readmissions and complications. A new multi-site evaluation and quality improvement study is hoping to change that.

An alliance of three rural hospitals in Ontario – Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH), Kemptville District Hospital (KDH), and Arnprior Regional Health (ARH) – have received a $196,000 grant to evaluate and improve transitions in care for elderly patients leaving the hospital to go home. The TiC Evaluations Rural Network Study, which will be conducted over the next two years, will gather valuable, real-world information and find solutions for the hospitals and their patients.

“WDMH is proud to lead this research study,” notes Cholly Boland, CEO, WDMH. “As one of WDMH’s strategic priorities, research allows us to always ask why and how we can do better. We want to apply the knowledge we gain for better patient care.”

“The study will have multiple phases using different approaches such as patient, caregiver and care provider surveys, outcome and operational evaluations, and a knowledge translation component,” explains WDMH’s Chief Research Officer Mohamed Gazarin, who is leading the study along with WDMH’s Chief of Staff Dr. Brian Devin.  “The study will involve patient partners, physicians, researchers, front-line staff, and key managers.”

“Research shows that 1 out of 7 patients may be readmitted within 30 days of being discharged from the hospital,” explains Cathy Burke, VP of Nursing and Clinical Services at KDH. “This study will support better outcomes for patients.”

“We are so pleased to be collaborating with WDMH and Arnprior Regional Health,” adds KDH CEO Frank Vassallo, “because it has the potential to help make care more seamless for patients and families in the communities served by all three of our hospitals.”

“We are grateful to the PSI Foundation for their support of this research and look forward to working with other rural hospitals in our region on this important study that will provide insights about how we can enhance the patient experience and outcomes,” adds Dr. Christine Schriver, Chief of Staff, Arnprior Regional Health.

“This study will give our regional group evidence-based findings about the unique healthcare needs of rural communities versus urban communities, which will help inform how we best deliver care,” sums up Eric Hanna, President and CEO, Arnprior Regional Health.

For further information contact:

Jane Adams, Communications Lead, Winchester District Memorial Hospital, T: 613.729.4864, jadams@wdmh.on.ca

Jenny Read, Communications Officer, Kemptville District Hospital, T: 613.258.6133 extension 223, Email: jread@kdh.on.ca

Melissa McDermott, Principal, Melissa McDermott Communications, Arnprior Regional Health, T: 647.201.4427, melissa@melissamcdermott.ca