PURPOSE Recovery and discharge following ambulatory surgery are important components of the ambulatory surgery experience. This review provides contemporary perspectives on the issues of discharge criteria, fast-tracking, patient escort requirements, and driving after ambulatory anesthesia. SOURCE A search was performed in the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials, MEDLINE(R), EMBAS...

This paper investigated the effectiveness of an inpatient movement disorders program for patients with atypical parkinsonism, who typically respond poorly to pharmacologic intervention and are challenging to rehabilitate as outpatients. Ninety-one patients with atypical parkinsonism participated in an inpatient movement disorders program. Patients received physical, occupational, and speech the...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Stroke PROTECT (Preventing Recurrence Of Thromboembolic Events through Coordinated Treatment) program systematically implements, at the time of acute transient ischemic attack (TIA) or ischemic stroke admission, 8 medication/behavioral secondary prevention measures known to improve outcome in patients with cerebrovascular disease. The objective of this study was to de...

Introduction: Our practice-oriented question was ‘how can the community sector work with their local hospitals to smooth the patient’s transition home from hospital’. Our answer was Home At Last, an innovative hospital-community collaboration in the Greater Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Objective: To ensure that when seniors have had a hospital stay or emergency department visit, they are discharge...

Purpose: To examine the benefits from a vocational rehabilitation program for patients suffering from Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in terms of quality of life, and overall health. In addition, to examine the direct societal costs of healthcare interventions related to vocational rehabilitation and indirect societal costs related to production loss. Method: Identified interventions in 45 patients...

In family care (FC) program for neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), parents are encouraged to reside together with their infant for 24 hours a day to actively be involved in the care. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of FC on maternal confidence and breast-feeding. Maternal confidence and rate of breast-feeding were assessed in 31 mothers offered FC that included special family...

This paper describes the Spinal Treatment Program at Columbia Hospital in Milwaukee. The primary goal of the program is to efficiently return the employee with a work-related back injury to the work setting. The two-phase program has been developed to provide treatment of acute injury, patient education, work hardening, and an assessment of the patient's ability to perform job tasks. Preliminar...

In patients hospitalised with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and congestive heart failure (CHF), evidence suggests opportunities for improving in-hospital and after-hospital care, patient self-care, and hospital-community integration. A multidisciplinary quality improvement program was designed and instigated in Brisbane in October 2000 involving 250 clinicians at three teaching hospitals, 1080...

As interest in cost reduction and early discharge has grown, due to increased medical costs and the introduction of the Diagnosis-Related Group system, the concept of a fast-track program has emerged in an effort to reduce the duration of hospital stays. Fast-track discharge, which is also known as “enhanced recovery after surgery,” can easily be misunderstood as simply meaning early oral intak...