SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Enhancing Post-Discharge Follow-Up Through Video-Enabled Scheduling: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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A pilot randomized controlled trial tested whether scheduling primary care follow-up before hospital discharge, using a video-enabled Zoom call on an iPad, could improve 7-day post-discharge follow-up rates compared with usual post-discharge phone scheduling. The study took place on one wing of Santa Monica-UCLA Hospital from April 8 to July 2, 2024. Eligible patients were randomly assigned by discharge room to either an intervention group or a control group.<br /><br />The intervention group had a pre-discharge Zoom meeting with a behavioral script designed to encourage acceptance and schedule follow-up before leaving the hospital. The control group received a post-discharge phone call to arrange follow-up. Patients were included if they were discharged home from the hospitalist service, could participate (or had a surrogate participate) in Zoom, and were eligible for UCLA follow-up. Patients discharged to skilled nursing or rehabilitation facilities, or discharged on weekends or after 5 p.m., were excluded.<br /><br />Among 41 eligible discharges, the intervention significantly increased scheduled follow-up appointments within 7 days: 86% in the intervention group versus 52% in the control group (p=0.03). Completed follow-up visits were also higher in the intervention group (64% vs. 37%), but this difference was not statistically significant, likely due to the small sample size (p=0.10). No-show rates were lower in the intervention group as well (7% vs. 11%).<br /><br />The findings suggest that video-enabled, pre-discharge scheduling may substantially improve follow-up appointment scheduling after hospitalization. Next steps include identifying which component of the intervention was most effective and planning a larger randomized trial comparing pre-discharge scheduling with post-discharge scheduling.

Asset Subtitle

Richard K. Leuchter

Meta Tag

Author List Alicea Lieberman, Erin Dowling, Eske Gizaw, Hengchen Dai, Irene Davis, Jeri Robertson, Jessica Leyva, Monique Keeles, Richard K. Leuchter, Ruth Villalobos, Wendy Simon, William Turner, Yolanda Christenson

Category Research

Concept Discharge Follow-up

Concept Randomized Controlled Trial

Concept Unplanned Readmission

Concept Pre-Discharge Video Scheduling

Concept Post-Discharge Phone Scheduling

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Presenting Author Richard K. Leuchter

Track Transitions of Care

Keywords

randomized controlled trial

hospital discharge

primary care follow-up

video-enabled Zoom

pre-discharge scheduling

post-discharge phone call

follow-up rates

Santa Monica-UCLA Hospital

behavioral script

7-day follow-up

Discharge Follow-up

Randomized Controlled Trial

Unplanned Readmission

Pre-Discharge Video Scheduling

Post-Discharge Phone Scheduling