Westmont Eldercare Navigator cautions families to monitor medications after hospital discharge

A new report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association warns that when patients are discharged from a hospital, their chronic condition medications may be unintentionally discontinued. Mardy Chizek, RN, president of Charism in Westmont and an Eldercare Navigator, warns that discontinuing vital medications for chronic conditions may result in patients being readmitted soon after their discharge, or it may even be fatal.

“Transitioning from the hospital to the home is an often overlooked dimension in healthcare maintenance and safety. It is critical that families and caretakers understand what steps need to be taken to continue patient recovery, and that includes medication monitoring,” said Chizek, who is often asked to apply her nursing and geriatric background to the hospital discharge process.

Based on the study, Chizek cautions that patients most susceptible to medication stoppage are those that were cared for in an intensive care unit. Physician intensivists often manage intensive care patients and the attending physician may not be involved in the care.

“We recommend having an eldercare expert work with the medical team to ensure that continuity of care is not interrupted or compromised. We are often called in to monitor home care for a period after discharge to ensure the safety and comfort of a patient,” added Chizek.

For more information visit www.charism.net