Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospital
Objective: To assess the experience of families and clinicians at a long term acute care hospital (LTACH) after implementing a written communication intervention. Methods: Written communication templates were developed for six clinical disciplines. LTACH clinicians used templates to describe the con...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | PEC Innovation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628223000596 |
| _version_ | 1797383599724429312 |
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| author | Nathaniel H. Schwartz Don N. Teed Crystal M. Glover Santosh Basapur Carly Blodgett Connor Giesing Gerald Lawm Glenn Podzimek Roger Reeter Laura Schorfheide Sara Swiderski Jared A. Greenberg |
| author_facet | Nathaniel H. Schwartz Don N. Teed Crystal M. Glover Santosh Basapur Carly Blodgett Connor Giesing Gerald Lawm Glenn Podzimek Roger Reeter Laura Schorfheide Sara Swiderski Jared A. Greenberg |
| author_sort | Nathaniel H. Schwartz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: To assess the experience of families and clinicians at a long term acute care hospital (LTACH) after implementing a written communication intervention. Methods: Written communication templates were developed for six clinical disciplines. LTACH clinicians used templates to describe the condition of 30 mechanically ventilated patients at up to three time points. Completed templates were the basis for written summaries that were sent to families. Impressions of the intervention among families (n = 21) and clinicians (n = 17) were assessed using a descriptive correlational design. Interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: We identified four themes during interviews with families: Written summaries 1) facilitated communication with LTACH staff, 2) reduced stress related to COVID-19 visitor restrictions, 3) facilitated understanding of the patient condition, prognosis, and goals and 4) facilitated communication among family members. Although clinicians understood why families would appreciate written material, they did not feel that the intervention addressed their main challenge – overly optimistic expectations for patient recovery among families. Conclusion: Written communication positively affected the experience of families of LTACH patients, but was less useful for clinicians. Innovation: Use of written patient care updates helps LTACH clinicians initiate communication with families. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:23:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-953888e530e042c895760ca8d51744ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2772-6282 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:23:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PEC Innovation |
| spelling | doaj.art-953888e530e042c895760ca8d51744ad2023-12-21T07:38:44ZengElsevierPEC Innovation2772-62822023-12-013100179Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospitalNathaniel H. Schwartz0Don N. Teed1Crystal M. Glover2Santosh Basapur3Carly Blodgett4Connor Giesing5Gerald Lawm6Glenn Podzimek7Roger Reeter8Laura Schorfheide9Sara Swiderski10Jared A. Greenberg11Rush Medical College, Chicago, United StatesWest Suburban Medical Center, Oak Park, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, United States; Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, United States; Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, United StatesDepartment of Family and Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, United StatesRML Specialty Hospital, Chicago, United StatesRML Specialty Hospital, Chicago, United StatesRML Specialty Hospital, Chicago, United StatesRML Specialty Hospital, Chicago, United StatesRML Specialty Hospital, Chicago, United StatesRML Specialty Hospital, Chicago, United StatesRML Specialty Hospital, Chicago, United StatesDepartment of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, United States; Corresponding author at: 1725 W. Harrison St., Suite 010, Chicago, IL 60612, United States.Objective: To assess the experience of families and clinicians at a long term acute care hospital (LTACH) after implementing a written communication intervention. Methods: Written communication templates were developed for six clinical disciplines. LTACH clinicians used templates to describe the condition of 30 mechanically ventilated patients at up to three time points. Completed templates were the basis for written summaries that were sent to families. Impressions of the intervention among families (n = 21) and clinicians (n = 17) were assessed using a descriptive correlational design. Interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results: We identified four themes during interviews with families: Written summaries 1) facilitated communication with LTACH staff, 2) reduced stress related to COVID-19 visitor restrictions, 3) facilitated understanding of the patient condition, prognosis, and goals and 4) facilitated communication among family members. Although clinicians understood why families would appreciate written material, they did not feel that the intervention addressed their main challenge – overly optimistic expectations for patient recovery among families. Conclusion: Written communication positively affected the experience of families of LTACH patients, but was less useful for clinicians. Innovation: Use of written patient care updates helps LTACH clinicians initiate communication with families.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628223000596Long-term acute care hospitalFamily engagementCommunicationRehabilitation |
| spellingShingle | Nathaniel H. Schwartz Don N. Teed Crystal M. Glover Santosh Basapur Carly Blodgett Connor Giesing Gerald Lawm Glenn Podzimek Roger Reeter Laura Schorfheide Sara Swiderski Jared A. Greenberg Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospital PEC Innovation Long-term acute care hospital Family engagement Communication Rehabilitation |
| title | Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospital |
| title_full | Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospital |
| title_fullStr | Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospital |
| title_short | Clinician-initiated written communication for families of patients at a long-term acute care hospital |
| title_sort | clinician initiated written communication for families of patients at a long term acute care hospital |
| topic | Long-term acute care hospital Family engagement Communication Rehabilitation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772628223000596 |
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