Post-Acute Care Transitions

Post-acute transitional care is defined as a set of actions designed to ensure the coordination and continuity of health care as patients transfer from hospital to home or related settings. Lack of appropriate care can result in re-hospitalization, duplication of services, inappropriate or conflicting care recommendations, medication errors, patient/caregiver distress, and higher costs of care. Model care transitions interventions focus on improving the care transitions process, providing direct patient support, improving self-management capabilities, and increasing access to needed information and tools.

Several types of technologies have potential to support post-acute care transitions (PACT) interventions. PACT Technologies include those that can assist in improving medication adherence, medication reconciliation, patient monitoring, communications between and among clinicians, patients, and informal caregivers, risk assessment, and other important aspects of care transitions. Studies suggest that use of such technologies can lead to fewer hospitalizations and emergency room visits, high patient satisfaction and acceptance, and reductions in cost of care.

Position Paper: Technologies for Improving Post-Acute Care Transitions (Discussion Draft)

7/22/10

This paper identifies and describes issues and opportunities for the Tech4Impact Diffusion Grants Program and related initiatives. It discusses areas of opportunity for improving post-acute care transitions for older adults using technology-enabled solutions. The Discussion Draft of the paper is being circulated for comments. Comments on the Discussion Draft should be emailed to Lynn Redington at lredington@techandaging.org

New care transitions technology grant program announced today in a first-ever collaboration with AoA and CMS

6/3/10

On 3 June 2010, the Center for Technology and Aging announced the release of its new diffusion grants program, which is focused on accelerating adoption and diffusion of technologies for improving post-acute care transitions ("Tech4Impact"). Grant funds will be made available to states applying for a related Administration on Aging and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services grant. For more information, see page 121 of AoA_CMS_Affordable_Care_Act_June_2010.pdf