What is the primary focus of transitional care?

The primary focus of transitional care is to ensure a smooth transition between different care settings. This concept is designed to help patients move seamlessly from one healthcare environment to another, such as from hospital to home or from one facility to another. The goal is to coordinate care effectively to prevent lapses or disruptions that could lead to adverse health outcomes.

By focusing on smooth transitions, transitional care aims to address the complexity that can arise from changes in a patient's care setting, which often includes the transfer of important medical information, medication management, and follow-up appointments. This coordination is crucial in maintaining continuity of care, which is essential for improving patient outcomes and enhancing the overall healthcare experience.

While reducing hospital readmissions can be a benefit of effective transitional care, achieving that goal is contingent upon successfully managing transitions between care settings. Transitional care does not primarily concern long-term rehabilitation, nor does it serve to increase healthcare costs; rather, its objective is to improve patient safety and efficacy in care delivery across different settings.