Next on the quality hit list at Aultman is a greater focus on medication safety. “How do we get what happens in the hospital to the PCP and to the patient at home? Is it a nurse visit to address what really goes on in the home, including the shoebox full of medications in the closet?” he asks.
Wright adds that the hospitalist group has started meeting with partner specialist groups in the hospital, including cardiology, neurology, and general surgery, and is working on relationships with nursing homes. That might mean another set of regular sit-down meetings to talk about how to make transitions to post-acute care work better. TH
Larry Beresford is a freelance writer in Oakland, Calif.