Research supports the importance of a follow-up visit with the patient’s physician following hospitalization, yet patients are often discharged to the home setting without an appropriate, scheduled appointment. Patients who do not have a follow-up visit are more at risk for re-hospitalization than those who do follow up with their physician (Jencks, et al., 2009) (Misky, et al., 2010).

It is critical that home health organizations develop processes and consistent procedures to ensure appointments are made within the first 7 to 14 days of a home health episode. Use of the VNAA Blueprint resources below can help organizations implement this critical best practice.

How to use these resources:

Start with the training program, Follow-up Appointment with PCP/Specialist - VNAA Best Practice, which offers an overview of the resources available through the Critical Interventions in the MD Appointment Scheduling within 7 to 14 Days best practice topic area.

The training program learning objectives are as follows:

• Identify responsibility and need for making an MD appointment following hospitalization.
• Identify the possible causes contributing to the challenge of making and keeping appointments within 7-14 days after discharge.
• Describe an approach to testing ways to improve helping patients make and keep appointments.
• Identify actions your agency can try to make gains in patient follow-up with their primary care physician after hospitalization.