Telephone support for complex chronic patients

Abstract

Medical activity in geriatric units extends beyond mere routine clinical practice and it is essential for a real, easy and direct healthcare continuity. However, in the XXI century access to medical specialists in hospitals remain a Penrose Stair for geriatric patients. The particularities of this population require that accessibility to medical resources become more fluid and direct. At this point, why something so basic and cheap as a phone consultation in the age of telecommunications is something so unusual? Perhaps by the overloading of clinicians, lack of time and support that allows registration or because its has been doing in an informal way for long without any registration. The benefits of continuity of care in this population are well documented today. Phone support reduce hospitalizations and emergency departments conultations 1, 3, 6, premature readmissions, improve the health status of chronic patients 2, 3 , improves prognosis of patients with heart failure 5, and terapeutic adherence 7. It has also been incorporated into the comprehensive managment in palliative care services with improvements in quality of care perceived by patients 10 . Within the framework of state programs chronicity justifies the need to develop and document this innate care activity in most geriatric units since its inception and is now extrapolating and incorporating other services. The aim of our study is to enhance the recording of telephone consultations in the geriatric unit which for years has been carrying out this activity and analyze the user profile to provide an efficient, actual non-contact continuous and specialist care and focused on the particularities of our population.