transition of care from hospital to home

Top Strategies for Transition of Care from Hospital to Home

Effective transition of care from hospital to home is a vital element for ensuring that patients receive the support they need to maintain their health. This can often be a challenging process, with several potential hazards that can lead to negative outcomes if not handled appropriately.

What is Patient Transition of Care?

Patient transition of care is the process of transferring between one healthcare setting to another, or from a hospital to home. Ideally, this is a transition from hospital to home care, where patients can continue receiving the treatment and support they need to stave off future illness or injury.

While patients typically aren’t discharged from a hospital setting without being considered stable, the transition period is still a time of concern. Approximately 1 in 5 patients experience adverse events after hospital discharge, including:

  • Worsening of their condition
  • Adverse drug effects
  • New complications
  • Readmission to the hospital due to lack of support at home

Having a firm plan in place and being prepared to offer extra assistance at home during this period, can dramatically reduce the likelihood of hospital readmission.

How Does Transition of Care Work?

Discharge planning from hospital to home occurs while patients are still in the hospital. Your treatment providers will walk you through what steps need to be taken to ensure you stay safe and healthy during this period, which could include medication plans, rehabilitation exercises, or certain precautions that need to be taken when back at home.

Yet after patients are discharged from the hospital, they are often on their own in terms of managing their health. They may be given instructional paperwork and medications, but it’s up to them and their families to ensure all the necessary steps are taken.

Why Proper Transition of Care Is Important

A smooth transition of care is essential to preventing unnecessary readmission to the hospital. Done well, a transition of care from hospital to home promotes recovery, independence, and health. Yet a poor transition of care from hospital to home puts patients at increased risk of their illness getting progressively worse, rather than better.

At Kinkaid Private Care, we believe there is a significant treatment gap during this transition. Many people need continued professional support after a hospital discharge to keep their recovery on track and prevent future medical expenses or complications.  As such, we have designed a comprehensive home health care model to provide people with the exact support they need after hospital discharge.

Strategies for Ensuring a Safe and Productive Transition of Care

A few simple strategies can ensure that you or your family members transition of care from hospital to home goes off without a hitch, and inspires future healing and recovery:

Involve Family in the Planning Process

Getting family members involved in the discharge planning from hospital to home can help to make sure that the medical condition and treatment plan is understood and feasible. Patients in a hospital setting are often overwhelmed and may not have the ability to mange the planning process by themselves.

Get Any Necessary Equipment

Your discharge plan from the hospital may have several recommendations, prescriptions, and treatment plans that may require specialized equipment. For example, people recovering from an injury may need resistance bands or training equipment to facilitate their at-home physical therapy, or people suffering form respiratory disease may need oxygen tanks or breathing apparatuses.

Keep Up with Follow-Up Visits

Making sure to attend follow-up appointments and primary care visits can help patients to track and monitor their condition over time. Too often, people return home and get complacent about their health status, which can set them up for future hospital readmission that could have been avoided.

Start Professional Home Care

Professional home care services can help you stay on top of the entire transition process. A transition from hospital to home care is often much more conducive to recovery, as you have a trained medical provider within the house to help with the next steps of the treatment process.

Home Care with Kinkaid Private Care

Kinkaid Private Care offers premium home care services to families who are planning a transition of care from hospital to home. Our team of medical professionals has experience helping families with a wide range of conditions, from physical disability, chronic illnesses, neurological, and much more.

Our concierge style home health care services can also include home doctor visits and scans, providing the most convenient and customized treatment plans on the market.

Reach out to Kinkaid Private Care today by calling (866) 337-4596 or by filling out our confidential online form. Whether your family is still planning a hospital discharge, or trying to prevent future readmission, our team will be there to support you and your loved ones throughout the entire process and pave the way to holistic health and recovery.

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organizing nursing care

What To Look For In A Nurse Case Management Team

When coordinating in-home nursing care, finding a qualified and effective case management team is crucial. After all, the top priority of any home care treatment is making sure everything is taken care of and that your loved one is in the best hands possible.

The only way to ensure everything is done effectively is to make sure you have a case management team that is organized, experienced, informed, and ultimately knows how to get the job done in the best way possible. While seeking nurse case management, look for a team with the following four characteristics:

  1. In-Home Nursing Care Experts: Try to find a team that focuses specifically on in-home nursing care. It’s usually best to hire a group of people who have a niche market they serve, as they must be dedicated experts in that specific field in order to succeed.
  2. Excellent Communication: When organizing care for your loved one, there is little room for error, as you want your loved one to receive the best care possible. Miscommunications are one of the most common causes of mistakes, so be sure to hire a team with exceptional communication skills. Moreover, teams with good communication skills will be able to effectively educate you and your family on your loved one’s condition.
  3. Superior Organizational Skills: In-home nursing care is complicated and requires a team to be organized and keep track of every detail. A lack of organizational skills could lead to the wrong medication administered or other disastrous outcomes.
  4. Well-Connected in the Medical Community: Part of receiving the best in-home nursing care is having access to the best doctors when necessary. While seeking a nurse case management team, you want to find professionals who are well-connected and can refer your loved one to the best doctors available.

Get The Home Care You Need with Kinkaid:

If you are in need of in-home nursing care or a nurse case management team, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information, please visit our homepage and learn about the array of services we provide. These services include in-home nursing care and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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receiving a blood draw at home

Get Your Blood Drawn From Home

Getting your blood drawn has been a staple of annual physicals for years. And it has generally been assumed that you have to get this procedure done at the doctor’s office or hospital. However, at-home blood draws have become more popular, as it is just as easy and more efficient to get your blood drawn from the comfort of your home.

This article discusses how an at-home blood draw works, the benefits of receiving a blood draw at home, and how you can schedule one for yourself.

How Does An At-Home Blood Draw Work?

Receiving a blood draw at home is easy. Instead of going to the doctor, a nurse comes to your home and takes a sample of your blood. You then receive the results a couple days later just as if the blood were drawn at the doctor. It’s as simple as that.

Benefits of An At-Home Blood Draw:

Receiving a blood draw at home as opposed to going to the doctor’s office or hospital has numerous benefits, including:

  • Comfort: Many people feel uncomfortable going to the doctor’s office or hospital and prefer staying at home. At-home blood draws guarantee you the comfort of your own home.
  • No Travel Risk: Individuals who may have various handicaps or who are older may have trouble traveling, and even a trip to the doctor’s office can be a struggle. At-home blood draws allow those who do not want to travel the opportunity to receive the same health benefits from home.
  • Avoid Germs: Doctor’s offices and hospitals are full of germs that can have serious effects on older individuals and those with compromised immune systems. It may be best to eliminate this risk by receiving blood work from home.

Get An At-Home Blood Draw With Kinkaid:

If you or your loved one is in need of an at-home blood draw, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information, please visit our homepage and learn about the array of services we provide. These services include at-home blood draws, in-home nursing care, and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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EKG machine

What Is An EKG And Why Do I Need One?

An electrocardiogram, also called an EKG or ECG, is a simple and non-invasive test that helps doctors better understand a patient’s heart health and diagnose heart-related problems if need be. The test records the electrical signals in the heart and displays the results on a screen.

Most EKGs are conducted over a period of a few minutes, but if a doctor would like to monitor your health over the course of a few days or weeks, he or she may give you a mobile EKG to wear throughout the day for an extended period of time.

Why Get An EKG?

According to the Mayo Clinic, doctors may order EKGs for their patients for a number of reasons, including:

  • Monitoring Heart Health: If you have a history of heart disease or heart attacks, or if the doctor suspects an abnormal heart rhythm, he or she may order an EKG just to be safe.
  • Assessing the Effectiveness of a Pacemaker: If you have a pacemaker, an EKG can help determine whether it is doing its job.
  • Finding the Cause of Various Symptoms: If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, your doctor may order an EKG to try to diagnose the problem:
    • Chest pain
    • Shortness of breath
    • Dizziness or light-headedness
    • Sense of confusion
    • Weakness or general fatigue
    • Heart palpitations
    • Rapid pulse

Where To Get An EKG:

Because most EKGs are administered at hospitals and doctor’s offices, most people assume that you must receive an EKG at a facility. However, you can receive an EKG from the comfort of your home just as easily and effectively. In fact, getting an EKG at home reduces the stress of having to go to the doctor’s office or hospital, while it also reduces the risk of exposing yourself to germs at these facilities.

At-home care providers can set up EKGs for patients at home. And because the test is non-invasive and only takes a few minutes, receiving it at home makes sense for many people. See below for how you can receive an EKG at home.

Get The Home Care You Need with Kinkaid:

If you or your loved one needs an at-home EKG, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information, please visit our homepage and learn about the array of services we provide. These services include at-home EKGs, in-home nursing care, and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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normal chest x-ray

What Does A Normal Chest X-Ray Look Like?

Chest x-rays are common and can be used to give doctors a better idea of a patient’s condition for a number of diseases or problems associated with the upper body. If your doctor has recommended a chest x-ray, you may be asking the following questions, which we discuss in this article:

  • Why do I need a chest x-ray?
  • What does a normal chest x-ray look like?
  • Where should I get a chest x-ray?

Why Do I Need A Chest X-Ray?

Chest x-rays reveal a number of things for doctors in and around your chest, so they are important for diagnosing and treating a variety of symptoms and diseases. According to the Mayo Clinic, the following are a few examples of what chest x-rays can be used to detect:

  • Cancer associated with the lungs and surrounding areas
  • Heart problems associated with the lungs
  • Pneumonia
  • Changes in the size and shape of the heart
  • Rib or spine fractures

What Does A Normal Chest X-Ray Look Like?

Everyone’s chest x-ray will look slightly different because no two people are exactly alike. Because of this, identifying a “normal” chest x-ray is difficult. That being said, the following is an example of a chest x-ray that would be considered “normal”:

In contrast, the following is an example of a chest x-ray for a patient with pneumonia:

Where Should I Get a Chest X-Ray?

While most people assume that the doctor’s office or hospital is the best place to get an x-ray, you can actually receive a chest x-ray at home and avoid the hassle of going to the doctor and the risk of exposing your already compromised immune system.

At-home care providers can coordinate chest x-rays from the comfort of your own home, and doing so is easy. See below how you can receive an at-home chest x-ray at your convenience.

Get The Home Care You Need with Kinkaid:

If you or your loved one is in need of an at-home chest x-ray, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information, please visit our homepage and learn about the array of services we provide. These services include at-home chest x-rays, in-home nursing care, and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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Getting A Chest X-Ray For Pneumonia

Getting A Chest X-Ray For Pneumonia

If you are showing symptoms of pneumonia, your doctor may tell you to get a chest x-ray to see if you in fact have the disease. You may be wondering what this means, how this will help, and/or where you should get an x-ray, so this article aims to answer some of the questions you may have. Specifically, we will discuss what pneumonia is and how a chest x-ray helps diagnose it. We will then discuss the best and most comfortable way to do so. 

What is Pneumonia?

According to the Mayo Clinic, pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in your lungs. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, and often accompanies other diseases you may have.

The severity of the disease can vary from person to person, but the most severe cases are usually found in people in the “at-risk” category: Those over the age of 65 or with weakened immune systems, as well as young children and infants.

Symptoms of the disease vary depending on its severity, with mild cases feeling similar to having a bad cold or flu. The following are examples of symptoms you may feel with pneumonia:

  • Chest pain when you breathe or cough
  • Wet cough
  • Fatigue
  • Fever and chills
  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  • Shortness of breath

In addition to the symptoms above, adults over 65 may also experience confusion or changes in mental awareness, along with abnormally low body temperatures.

Why Get A Chest X-Ray For Pneumonia?

Because pneumonia is an infection that inflames your lungs, doctors must be able to see your lungs to accurately diagnose it. And the best way for a doctor to do this is with an x-ray. The x-ray shows all of a patient’s chest, so doctors can easily see the lungs to see if there is an infection.

Where To Get A Chest X-Ray:

While most people assume that the doctor’s office or hospital is the best place to get an x-ray, you can actually receive a chest x-ray at home and avoid the hassle of going to the doctor and the risk of exposing your already compromised immune system.

At-home care providers can coordinate services from the comfort of your own home, and doing so is easy. See below how you can receive an at-home chest x-ray at your convenience.

Get The Home Care You Need with Kinkaid:

If you or your loved one is in need of an at-home chest x-ray, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information,  call us at 866-344-9050 or fill out the contact form here to learn about the array of services we provide. These services include at-home chest x-rays, in-home nursing care, and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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at home doctor with patient

How Can I Get An At Home Doctor Visit?

Receiving medical care from a physician is crucial for maintaining your health, but going to the doctor’s office can be a hassle. The best way to receive the same quality care without the stress of going to the doctor is to receive this care from the comfort of your home.

At-home doctor visits are becoming more popular and make sense for people who may be uncomfortable going to the doctor. This article discusses the benefits of receiving at-home medical care, as well as how you can schedule an at-home doctor’s visit for yourself or your loved one.

Benefits of An At-Home Doctor:

In addition to receiving care from the comfort of your own home, there are other benefits of at-home doctor visits, including the following:

  • Avoid The Germs: One of the biggest advantages of receiving care from a physician at home is that you do not expose yourself to the germs of a doctor’s office or hospital. If you are not feeling well — or if you have a compromised immune system — you want to avoid places full of unwell and contagious individuals, such as doctor’s offices and hospitals. Receiving care at home will ensure you are able to isolate and stay safe.
  • Increased Privacy: Hospitals and doctor’s offices are crowded, so it can be difficult to maintain full privacy. With at-home doctor’s visits, however, it is easy to receive care while also maintaining full privacy.
  • No Travel Necessary: If you are in need of medical care, traveling to and from the doctor’s office or hospital can be challenging. Depending on the reason you need care, travel may be reason enough to opt for at-home care.

How To Schedule An At-Home Doctor Visit:

The best way to schedule an at-home doctor visit is through an at-home private care provider. These providers are experts at ensuring you receive the right at-home doctor for your needs. They may also be able to help coordinate other related services such as in-home nursing care, senior care, and other medical-related at-home services.

Get The Home Care You Need with Kinkaid:

If you are  in need of an at-home doctor visit, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information, please visit our homepage and learn about the array of services we provide. These services include organizing at-home doctor visits, in-home nursing care, and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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in-home nursing care

Is A Home Nurse Right For You?

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Getting the proper nursing care is crucial for anyone looking to stay healthy, but finding the right nurse can be difficult. And while many people spend hours searching for a nursing care facility, they often overlook a more convenient and efficient option: In-Home Nursing Care.

Hiring a home nurse can mean better care, as you will receive the care you need in the comfort of your home. So, is hiring a home nurse right for you? In this article, we will discuss what nursing care at home is and whether it is the right choice for you.

What is In-Home Nursing Care?

In-Home Nursing Care is when a patient receives any type of nursing care from the comfort of his or her home. Home nurses can provide just about any type of care a regular nurse would provide at a treatment facility, including:

  • Care for senior citizens, including elder and hospice care
  • Cancer care
  • Mental health home care, including counseling
  • Alzheimer’s and dementia care
  • Care for various neurological diseases, such as brain injuries, ALS, and more
  • Home detox, including detox aftercare planning

Is In-Home Nursing Care Right For You?

The process of Home Care nurses is convenient and comfortable, but is it right for everyone? We recommend considering in-home nursing care if any of the following are true for you:

  • You are willing to pay more for premium care. In-home nursing care can be more expensive. However, this type of care offers the best in the business. In-home nursing care providers typically provide the best care in the market because they can tailor their care to each specific patient at his or her home.
  • Traveling is difficult for you or your loved one. Depending on the type of care you need, traveling to receive that care can be a burden on its own. If this is the case, consider looking into home care as an option.
  • You want to avoid large hospitals or treatment centers. There are many good reasons to avoid hospitals and larger treatment centers while seeking care. For example, they can be stressful and sometimes create a separate anxiety-related problem. Moreover, if you are immunocompromised, you may feel safer at home away from the germs of hospitals and treatment centers.

Get The Home Care You Need with Kinkaid:

If you or your loved one is in need of home nursing care, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Nursing Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information, please visit our homepage and learn about the array of services we provide. These services include at home nursing care and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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best home care in california

How to Find the Best Home Care Services in California

Los Angeles | Orange County | San Diego | San Francisco

Finding the right home care services for yourself or your loved ones can make or break a treatment experience. And finding the right home care provider can be difficult; after all, there are dozens of home care providers in California.

So how do you ensure you pick the right home care service in such a competitive market? While choosing your home care provider, take the following into consideration:

Tips for Choosing the Best Home Care in California

Company Credibility:

The provider you choose should have credibility in the community and be able to prove its past success. When measuring credibility, you should consider the following:

  • How many years has this provider been serving your community?
  • Does the provider specialize in California? Each state has different laws and regulations regarding home care services, so it may be advantageous to choose a provider that operates solely in California.
  • Can the company provide testimonials to show its past success?

Depth of Services:

When choosing a home care service for yourself or your loved ones, you want a company that goes above and beyond with its care. This means in part that the company should be ready to provide an array of services to care for any need you may have. Examples of services your provider should offer include:

Providing an array of services is crucial for any home care service because you may end up needing a variety of different types of care. And having one company that can provide high-quality and reliable care allows for an easier care process that benefits everyone.

Quality of Care:

In addition to requesting testimonials to confirm the credibility of a home care service provider, the following are questions you should ask a prospective care provider to find out about the quality of care the company provides:

  • How are your staff trained? What are their backgrounds? Learn as much as you can about the staff providing care at any given company.
  • How often do your staff visit each patient? How much time do you dedicate to your patients? You want to find a provider that will dedicate as much time to you or your loved ones as possible.
  • How do you handle emergencies?

Cost:

Money matters, but when it comes to something as important as home care for yourself or loved ones, you want to ensure you get the best care possible. Because of this, we recommend not choosing the cheapest option.

The cost of services can in many cases show how serious and intensive the care is. If you are looking for the best and most intensive care on the market, don’t be turned off by a high price. Find the provider that offers the best care and has the best reputation. It will be well worth the price.

Get The Best Home Care in California with Kinkaid Private Care

If you or your loved one is in need of any home care service, please reach out to us to see how we can help. Kinkaid Private Care offers premium in-home services to patients looking for the best and most intensive care on the market. We only take on a few clients at a time, so we always provide specialized care to meet the needs of each client.

For more information, please visit our homepage and learn about the array of services we provide. These services include at-home senior care, in-home nursing care, and the coordination of a variety of at-home medical services in the Los Angeles area, as well as home detox services all over the state of California. We also offer at-home Covid-19 testing.

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