Capsule Commentary on Baier et al., A Qualitative Study of Choosing Home Health Care after Hospitalization: the Unintended Consequences of 'Patient Choice' Requirements

Capsule Commentary on Baier et al., A Qualitative Studyof Choosing Home Health Care after Hospitalization: the Unintended Consequences of Patient Choice Requirements

John M. Thomas, MD

Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.

J Gen Intern Med 30(5):654DOI: 10.1007/s11606-015-3189-6 Society of General Internal Medicine 2015

T hisstudybyBaieretal.1soughttoillustratethedecision-makingprocessthatoccursinhospitaldischargeplanning when case managers engage with patients and families in selecting a home health agency. Case managers and home health consumers were qualitatively asked about their respective roles in the decision process, as well as their knowledge of existing public home health quality reports. No participants were aware of public quality reports. Case managers described presenting a list of available home health agencies to consumers, who in turn generally felt they had little information to guide their decision and often asked case managers for...