Identity your selected example of a transition of care

Identity your selected example of a transition of care

Transition of Care for hospitalized Covid patients

Transition processes are critical in healthcare as they ensure continuity of care and prevent negative health outcomes that are avoidable. Transitions must however be managed using the most appropriate strategies as demonstrated through systems thinking and evidence-based practices as demonstrated in this task.

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The selected Example of a Transition of Care

The selected example of transition of care is the pharmacy transition after the aftermath of COVID-19. The selected articles contend that the emergence of COVID-19 led to remarkable changes on how healthcare services are delivered to patients; especially the elderly patient population. The pandemic resulted in new intervention measures during the administration of medications to this vulnerable population. As a way of reducing emerging physical contact, the pharmacy setting has instituted measures where pharmacists avoid physical contact with patients and the packaging as well as prescription mechanisms are also modified Thornton (Bacon, Trent & McCoy, 2018). During the transition, there are other notable changes that have been put in place as reflected in the two articles.

The first change is the reconciliation of the provision of medications and secondly, ensuring proper education in preparation for the discharge protocols especially for the elderly patients. Furthermore, the emergence of the pandemic has meant that the adoption of technological dispensing mechanisms is adopted through e-Health. Pharmacists can now use Telehealth and also the phone health strategies that guarantee safety for both the patient and the healthcare provider. Another notable change is in the prescription where medical prescriptions are transferred from one setting to another or from the provider to the patients using electronic health record system that reduce the physical encounter. This implies that the transition of healthcare services in the pharmacy setting significantly reduces paper-based medical prescriptions especially for the elderly as a way of protecting them (Loerinc et al.,2021). The pharmacist’s involvement in the transitions of care provides an opportunity for healthcare providers to move beyond providing normal medication interventions to the use of telehealth approaches to protect themselves and the patients.

Stakeholders that might be Involved in the Transition

There are notable stakeholders that can play an important role in the pharmacy transition of care due to the emergence of COVID-19. The first stakeholder is the nurse informaticist who plays a central role in incorporating technology in healthcare delivery. The informaticist acts as an educator, and developers of the communication protocols that the nurse pharmacist will use to engage with the patient even when they are not in physical contact. Furthermore, the nurse informaticist has to be part of the policy development and in establishing a framework upon which the transition of care will be implemented.

Beside the nurse informaticist, another key stakeholder is the pharmacist whose responsibility is to prescribe medication in line with the transition requirements. As discussed in the previous section, the pharmacist has to develop paperless/ e-Health approaches on how to administer the required medication. Additionally, the medication has to reflect the exact condition of the patient especially when they have an underlying condition. The third stakeholder is the patient who is the central player in the transition of care process. After being educated, the patient must demonstrate competency in adhering to the given medical prescriptions and in responding to the measures to protect against the risks of COVID-19 spread.

The other stakeholders that will play an important role in the transition process are the care givers who stay with the patient especially after the discharge. The care givers must understand the patient’s condition and the underlying risks especially if the treatment protocol is not adhered to. Besides, the care givers will constantly remind the patient on the given prescription.

Leadership Strategies that can be used to engage and influence them

There are notable leadership strategies that can be used to influence the stakeholders identified in the previous section. The first leadership strategy is to be a good communicator. The transition of care process requires significant understanding from all players for it to be effective. Consequently, it is important to be a good communicator so as to explain what the transition means especially for the patient. Besides, good communication will help to guarantee patient-centered care through correct prescriptions that reduce the risks of errors. The second leadership quality is critical thinking. The emergence of COVID-19 has resulted in extraordinary times that require extraordinary intervention measures that be better implemented through critical thinking strategies.

To manage the transition process, it is important for one to think out of the norm to help guarantee quality care services. The third leadership strategy is the use of emotional intelligence that is key in managing the expectations of every stakeholder. Since the expectations of every member varies, emotional intelligence will play an important role in understanding and responding to these emotional expectations. The fourth leadership strategy that will help to engage and influence the stakeholders is being free to people’s opinions, decision-making and consultation. Transition of care in pharmacy setting cannot be implemented fully unless the stakeholders work as a team. Consequently, listening to opinions and involving other players in decision-making will ease the transition process.

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How to apply Systems Thinking when Providing a transition of Care

System-based practice is an important way to deliver quality care to patients in line with the quadruple aim which is care, health, cost and the meaning in work. The first way to apply systems thinking is to evaluate the complex system and the challenges that are bound to occur during the transition process. After underscoring such challenges, the second step is to explore some of the strategies that can be used to solve the challenges. Since there are many stakeholders, it will be important to critically assess who is responsible for what aspect in the transition process (Rodrigues et al.,2017). The second strategy is to assess the home environment and how it is likely to affect the wellbeing of the patient after discharge. If there are changes that need to be made at the home environment, the systems thinking approach will be used to effect these changes. The other way to use system thinking is to assess the implication of the COVID-19 and the likely time it will take. The longer it is likely to take, the more detailed the intervention plan is. Putting in place long-term goals will play an important role in effecting the transition of care.

Fourth aim and strategy to be used

The fourth aim of the quadruple aim is to derive meaning in work which means that all the stakeholders understand their responsibilities and are ready to live by these responsibilities. The strategy to be used for them to achieve the fourth aim is to have an overview of the likely implications of their individual contribution in the transition process. Key questions to respond to include what would happen if any of the stakeholders doesn’t adhere to the transition plan? How can the stakeholders ensure that the patient continues to receive quality care even under the difficult COVID-19 circumstances? What is the individual contribution when seeking to ensure the set goals are attained? Responses to these questions will form the basis of reminding the stakeholders of their moral and ethical responsibilities in the healthcare delivery process (Herzik & Bethishou, 2021).

According to the fourth aim, the absence of joy and meaning in seeking to achieve the targets espoused in the transition of care process can be a great hinderance to the delivery of quality care. Consequently, underscoring that every decision is made for the sake of the life of the patient and the general adherence to the healthcare ethical obligation will be an important way to achieve the fourth aim.

How Systems thinking will inform the improvement plan

There are notable ways through which systems thinking will inform the improvement plan. Firstly, systems thinking can foster problem-solving in the healthcare setting as it encourages questioning of healthcare decisions. In the transition of care process, systems thinking will give a holistic view of the implication of every intervention measure put in place in the transition process so as to come up with the most feasible decision. The decisions made should be geared towards provision of patient-centered care and hence a guarantee of quality care to the patient.

The other way through which systems thinking will inform the improvement plan is through research and the use of evidence-based intervention strategies. As discussed before, it is important to highlight some of the challenges in implementing the transition process. Such challenges can then be resolved through evidence-based practices that assure the safety and wellbeing of the patient during and after the transition process.