Identifying the "gap" between inpatient and outpatient care
The Emergency Department sits at the nexus of hospital-based care and the outpatient world. Between these two worlds, there is a critical “Gap.”
The “Gap” begins when a patient leaves the hospital, and ends when the patient gets better or fully engages in meaningful follow-up care.
Patients are most vulnerable in the first 7-10 days after leaving the emergency department.
- 50% of repeat hospitalizations occur within 7.5 days
- 50% of repeat ED visits occur within 10 days
- 50% of costs happen within 8.5 days
During this vulnerable period, patients are not yet improved and must:
- Understand and follow their discharge instructions
- Fill new prescriptions
- Take medications differently
- Follow a new care plan
- Obtain a follow-up appointment
Without care in the gap:
- Patients are unsatisfied
- Outcomes worsen
- Costs rise
Hospitals and health systems must bridge the gap through:
- Collaborative transitions of care
- Tighter connections with discharged patients
It’s time to deploy innovative services and improve the impact of existing ones.
We need to do more for our patients, but not more of the same. We must address Care in the Gap.
