Courtesy Saratoga Hospital
Saratoga Hospital has created a new Inpatient Transition Program to provide hospital-to-home services for adult patients with a chronic illness or health risks.
Officials said the patient-focused program is designed to improve both patient care and the system for transitioning that care from a hospital setting to a primary care provider.
“The ITP is especially needed for those chronically ill patients who may not have prompt access to their primary care physician,” said Dr. Kevin Dooley medical director of the Inpatient Transition Program. “These are patients who need to be seen within three days at most. A discharged patient who misses out on follow-up care may inadvertently mismanage their medications or miss a warning sign and eventually end up back in the hospital.”
“This program helps ensure overall better health outcomes for the patients, reducing the chance of rehospitalization. It also helps to relieve the pressure on the overtaxed schedules of primary care physicians in our community,” he added.
As hospitalized patients are prepared for discharge, those who meet certain health criteria will be given the opportunity to choose to have their initial follow-up appointment at the ITP office.
Located at 119 Lawrence St. on The Wesley Community campus in Saratoga Springs, the clinic is staffed with medical professionals to provide guidance and the necessary resources (education, medical treatment, etc.) to ensure a successful transition home and back to their primary care provider, officials said.
The staff works with primary care providers to arrange appointments, providing follow-up care in the interim as well as communication with the patient’s care managers, visiting nurses, and other providers as needed.
For more information about Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Inpatient Medicine, visit SaratogaHospital.org.