A Study on the follow-up care program for the discharged chronic ill patients

Park, Seung Min; Lee, Jae Woo; Shin, Geun Wook; Yang, Je Bum; Ann, Je Su; Chung, Yong Whan

Abstract

To evaluate the positivity and to examine the problem of the discharged patients follow-up care program which has been proposed to serve total medical care of patients after discharged from Chonnam hospital, this study was conducted from July to September, 1995. Mail questionnaire survey and telephone interview survey was done to 172 discharged patients selected by simple random sampling. The results were summarized as follows: 1. About the doctor-patient relationship in hospital, 5.8-17.4% of subjects had positive attitude toward doctor's explanation on treatment process, and 64.4% replied that most of them had not understood doctor's explanation. 65.4% of them consulted with his doctor about his problem and 57.1% had been advised to change his habit by his doctor. 2. About the difficult problem during treatment, 30.8% pointed out the frequency of visiting hospital and 24.4% pointed out changed habit, and about the difficult problem after discharged, 37.8% pointed out the troblesome in visiting hospital and 22.1% pointed out the infrequent consultation. 3. In discharged state of subjects the current treatment rate and hospital change rate was higher recurrence rate in case group was lower than that in control group, but there was not difference statistically. 4. The positive response rate of the program was 69.6% in control group and 60.0% in case group. 63.7% of control group expected positive effect but 31.4% of case group replied to have received the actual help. 5. About the help of the program, 34.3% showed positive concern from the hospital and 24.3% pointed out consultation, and about the reform measure of the program, 48.6% desired interviewing by his doctor and 21.4% desired preparation for interview. 6. There was not significant difference in positivity of program according to the sociodemorgraphic variables. Recommendations on activation of the program were: improvement on the items of interview, team approach, development of computerized program, linkage with home health care, education for specific health related personnel and development of evaluation method.