First, do no harm – the Hippocratic Oath that all health care providers take upon their graduation from medical school, promising to always put their patient’s well-being above their own. When health care providers are making even the toughest of choices when it comes to their patient’s care, they are always striving to do what is in the patient’s best interest. Every patient is different, from their care requirements, lifestyle and desires, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution for providers to turn to.
One out of every four seniors will experience a fall this year, making falls the leading cause of injuries for seniors, according to the Center for Disease Control. Like illnesses and other injuries, falls can cause a senior to be admitted to the hospital for care. When a senior is admitted, the doctors, nurses and all other members of the care team work to help them regain strength and become healthy enough to be discharged from in-patient care. But what happens when discharging a patient to the wrong environment can do more harm than good?
How Oasis Can Help Your Patients
While staying with his brother in Connecticut, John, a New Yorker in his 70s, was hospitalized. Upon discharge, John required around-the-clock care, and it was clear that he needed the additional support of a senior living community. However, since he was outside of his home state, it became nearly impossible for the family to find a community that could meet all of John’s needs – until they were connected with an Oasis Senior Advisor.
The Oasis advisor’s nationwide network, combined with their highly localized expertise and knowledge of senior care services available in the area, supported John and his family in finding a community that not only worked within his financial situation, but also met his care and lifestyle needs. With the help of the advisor, the family and care team were able to quickly place the senior in the care of a New York Assisted Living Program, making the entire discharge process smooth and efficient.
John’s case is not an infrequent dilemma, and oftentimes, seniors who are admitted to the hospital are faced with similar challenges when it comes time to be discharged. Whether the level of care they require is beyond their family’s ability in-home, or the senior is facing financial hardship making it challenging to find a community or service, it can be difficult for providers to know where to refer their patients.
Working with Oasis Senior Advisors to Avoid Readmission
Sixteen percent of Medicare beneficiaries between the ages of 65-74 are readmitted within 30 days of hospital discharge. With this number on the rise, it is more important than ever to prevent readmission before it occurs. Prevention starts with ensuring that a senior is discharged to an environment that can adequately serve the level of care that they need.
Seniors are most commonly readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge due to:
- Lack of follow up with healthcare provider
- Medication errors – especially seniors using 10 or more medications regularly
- Non-compliance or unwillingness to participate in their treatment plan
- Condition complications
- Issues in the discharge process
Oasis Senior Advisors is a trusted partner for healthcare professionals to quickly find safe, compassionate and effective solutions for their patients to help avoid these common causes of readmission. When a senior is discharged from the hospital and into the care of the right senior living community or home-health professional, they are less likely to face these common challenges.
In order to match patients with a senior living community that best suits their needs and lifestyle, our advisors utilize a proprietary, HIPAA-compliant OasisIQ software system that is able to identify the communities that best meet key factors. From there, advisors personalize a list of options based on their extensive knowledge of those communities, as well as their knowledge of each individual client.
With more than 100 locations across the country, Oasis Senior Advisors work as a team to place seniors in communities where their health and day-to-day life will flourish. In addition to helping seniors find the perfect senior living community to fit their needs and lifestyle, Oasis Senior Advisors has an extensive network of trusted partners offering solutions for many of their needs or challenges that arise. Our services are completely free to seniors and their families, so if you have a patient who is in need of senior living tools and resources, contact your local advisor today by calling (888) 455-5838.
