Putting the 'IT' in Care Transitions

...A study published recently in The New England Journal of Medicine, confirms what many of us have observed: health care transitions, such as moves in and out of the hospital from a nursing home, do not lead to positive outcomes. More common are frequent medical errors; poor care coordination, infections and additional medications. For patients with acute dementia, these transitions can exacerbate already present symptoms such as agitation, confusion and emotional distress. But improving care transitions is important for everyone.

On Friday, October 14th, 2011, a group of innovators, policy and health IT experts, healthcare providers, patient organizations, technology companies, and government agencies will gather in Washington, D.C. to assess progress in improving transitions in care and to prioritize how better use of health IT can address some of the most difficult challenges related to care transitions on a broader scale.