Forced prolonged hospital stays as a manifestation of the dysfunction of the Polish long-term care system
Journal Title: Family Medicine & Primary Care Review - Year 2018, Vol 20, Issue 3
Abstract
Background. Long-term care (LTC ) services involve long-lasting continuous supervision, care, nursing, therapy, and rehabilitation of patients who do not qualify for acute medical care. Demand for LTC services is on the rise, because of the aging of society and increasing number of dependent young and middle-aged people. Objectives. The aim of the study was to examine the dysfunction of LTC services in Poland, taking the phenomenon of prolonged hospitalization as an example. Material and methods. We examined data on patients at the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland, who were waiting for transfer from hospital to LTC facilities in the years 2012–2017. The statistical threshold of significance was p < 0.05. Results. There were 1006 cases of hospital stays prolonged by waiting for transfer to LTC facilities; 77% of patients affected were 65 years or older. This age group saw a large increase in the total number of patients transferred from hospital to LTC facilities. Patients 65 years and older made up the majority of patients on transfer waiting lists, but their average waiting time was significantly shorter than that of younger patients (38.7 vs 69.6 days, respectively). Conclusions. The demonstrated forced prolonged hospitalizations, which result from a lack of capacity on the part of LTC facilities to accept patients who have undergone hospital treatment, confirmed the dysfunction of the Polish LTC system. This results in a lack of adequate medical care continuity, increased total costs of medical care, and a shifting of expenses from the LTC facilities to the acute treatment facilities, which are most often hospitals.
Authors and Affiliations
Joanna Furtak-Pobrotyn, Piotr Pobrotyn, Łukasz Rypicz, Robert Susło, Jarosław Drobnik, Izabela Witczak
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP444417
- DOI -
- Views 81
- Downloads 0
Adaptation and reliability testing of the SHARE-FI instrument for the assessment of risk of frailty syndrome among older Polish patients
Background. Frailty reduces independence, quality of life and psychological well-being. Frailty also increases the risk of geriatric syndromes, addictions, hospitalization, institutionalization, disability and mortality...
Prevalence of insomnia and use of hypnotics in seniors from the Łodz Province, Poland
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder among older people. It is characterized by difficulty with falling asleep, problems maintaining sleep and/or waking up too early. As a result, patients may complain about physical and...
Czynniki społeczno-demograficzne wpływające na jakość życia pacjentów z astmą i POChP
Wstęp. Choroby przewlekłe układu oddechowego ze względu na swój charakter oraz zróżnicowane objawy wpływają znacząco na codzienne funkcjonowanie chorego. Zarówno astma, jak i POC hP, należące do tej grupy chorób przyczyn...
Czy lekarze rodzinni podejmują się leczenia zaburzeń psychicznych?
Wstęp. Celem pracy było określenie, czy i jakie leczenie zastosowali lekarze rodzinni (LR ) zanim skierowali swych pacjentów do psychiatrów. Materiał i metoda. Badaniem objęto 120 wcześniej nieleczonych psychiatrycznie...
Effect of sildenafil citrate on women affected by sexual dysfunction referred to health clinics
Background. Female sexual dysfunction is a serious, multifactorial problem which affects women’s quality of life. Objectives. This study aimed at assessing the effect of sildenafil citrate on sexual dysfunction among wom...