The Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH), Kemptville District Hospital, and Arnprior Regional Health facility received a $196,000 grant for a joint study on the transition needs of seniors, and other patients, who are discharged from hospital and then may depend on home care. The goal is to reduce the need for readmissions because of unplanned setbacks in home treatment.

“WDMH is proud to lead this research study,” stated Cholly Boland, WDMH chief executive officer. “As one of WDMH’s strategic priorities, research allows us to always ask why and how we can do better. We want to apply the knowledge we gain for better patient care.”

The Transition in Care Rural Network Study (TCRNS) will take place over a two-year period. It will involve gathering information on patients needs through caregiver and care-provider surveys, reviews and evaluations of what happens or could happen to a patient during the transition period between when the person is receiving hospital care and then returns home and needs some form of follow-up care.

Past research of senior health care issues indicates that one out of seven seniors who are discharged from hospital after treatment for an illness or injury may end up readmitted within 30 days because of setbacks with their follow-up home care.