Impact of In-Reach Nursing Teams in Residential Care Homes
Author Information
Author(s): Ala Szczepura, Sara Nelson, Deidre Wild
Primary Institution: Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick
Hypothesis
Can in-reach specialist nursing teams improve care and reduce costs in residential care homes?
Conclusion
The introduction of a specialist nursing in-reach team for residential homes is likely to be cost neutral and, in all probability, cost saving.
Supporting Evidence
- 733 referrals were made over two years, resulting in 6,528 visits.
- 197 hospital admissions were averted during the study period.
- Investment in the in-reach team equaled £44.38 per resident per week.
Takeaway
A special nursing team helped elderly residents in care homes stay healthier and avoid hospital visits, saving money in the process.
Methodology
Data was collected prospectively over two years, including referrals, outcomes, and economic analysis.
Limitations
Estimation of benefits like avoided admissions relied on retrospective judgement, which may not be robust.
Participant Demographics
{"total_residents":131,"male_residents":37,"female_residents":94,"mean_age":87,"age_range":"71-104"}
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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