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September 7, 2021BMC Family PracticeOpen Access

“She knows me best”: a qualitative study of patient and caregiver views on the role of the primary care physician follow-up post-hospital discharge in individuals admitted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure

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Why the study?

Patients with COPD and CHF are at high risk of readmission, but evidence is conflicting on whether timely primary care provider follow-up reduces that risk.

Population

16 participants (eight patients and eight caregivers) admitted with COPD or CHF across three acute care hospitals

Design

Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews

Key result

Patients and caregivers valued in-person follow-up with their primary care provider following hospital discharge for COPD or CHF due to the trust established through pre-existing longitudinal relationships.

Authors

SGSarah GriffithsGSGaibrie StephenTKTara Kiran

Discussion

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Member takes

Overview

Supports emphasis on longitudinal PCP relationships after COPD/CHF discharge; leaves open effects on readmissions or outcomes.

Structured PICO

P
Population
16 participants (8 patients and 8 caregivers) admitted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or congestive heart failure (CHF), discharged from three acute care hospitals in Ontario, Canada. 63% female, 88% aged 65 years or older, 75% admitted with CHF.
I
Intervention
Primary care provider follow-up post-hospital discharge
O
Outcome
Patient and caregiver perspectives on the role of primary care provider follow-up after hospital dischargepatient reported

Patients and caregivers value in-person primary care follow-up post-discharge primarily for the longitudinal relationship and care coordination, rather than specifically for preventing readmissions.

Limitations

  • Participant sample was discharged from tertiary care, often academic centers, and all had primary care providers, limiting generalizability.
  • Participants may have had a higher degree of caregiver involvement than the general population.
  • Small sample size did not allow distinction between themes identified by patients versus their caregivers.
  • Participants were selected from an ongoing RCT where some may have received a written discharge instruction tool.
  • All study authors are clinicians, which may have influenced the conclusions drawn.

Cite This Study

Griffiths et al. (2021) studied Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or congestive heart failure (CHF) (n=16). Primary care physician follow-up post-hospital discharge was evaluated on Patient and caregiver perspectives on the role of primary care provider follow-up after hospital discharge. Patients and caregivers valued in-person follow-up with their primary care provider following hospital discharge for COPD or CHF due to the trust established through pre-existing longitudinal relationships.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0aab64e7a7b397ee7387d9https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-021-01524-7
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