A Tablet That Saves Lives and Reduces Hospital Re-admission Cost and Penalties.

A computer tablet “GIVEN” at the time of discharge to primary care patients would reduce re-admissions costs and penalties and save a life or two.  Why are we not doing this? The cost of tablets has fallen to such a low cost range – sub $100. - and the software is here and ready to facilitate doing it, such that a ‘discharge tablet’ will and needs to become a standard component to the primary care practice of discharge and transition care management.

Today, the hospital discharge experience remains a ‘blurred flurry’ of an experience for most patients. Once wheeled out the door, trying to recall and reflect as to what was said, what you are supposed to do or not do and the how and when and with what medications can be highly stressful for the patient and post discharge caregivers, family members or guardians. Discharge time is not the ideal time for a speedy lecture that contains and is jammed full of life critical information and terms and data that are terribly unfamiliar.

Of course there are many drivers to re-admissions. One set are those conditions that subsequently arise are medically driven chronic conditions. The other set are those that are manageable by patients and care givers. Some major examples are:

Failure to understand the post discharge care plan – originally delivered by someone who thinks you should understand or conveyed via a 19 page 8 pt. type set document that details all the horrific possibilities. What did he or she say I was supposed to do?

Failure to use prescribed medications correctly – if at all. Simply being confused on which pill to take first and when and or why.

Failure to monitor health vitals indicators – blood pressure, weight, oxygen levels etc.

Improper wound condition awareness and care – is this wound healing properly?

Failure to communicate condition changing issues in a timely manner such as medication effects, breathing, sleep, balance, hearing etc.

Providing a specialized discharge tablet with a guiding conditions checklist and a history of care activity events and trending conditions can significantly and positively impact these issues and more. A ‘one touch’ always ready connection to the exact information when a patient needs it and providing active monitoring to care givers via a specialized tablet will go a long way to reducing re-admissions. Less than $100. per patient even if given away and not charged for or returned seems like an ROI for everyone involved and worth securing….and saving a life or two along the way is not a bad outcome to strive for with today’s technology enabled health care.

If you would like to discuss deploying a discharge tablet contact me at www.chartacares.com or at mike@chartacloud.com. I’d be happy to discuss the potential and the possibilities of a discharge tablet for your patients and care organization.