Effect of Discharge Via an Intermediate Care Unit

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The main goal is to investigate the following topics: Can discharge via the Intermediate Care Unit in Stjørdal, compared to direct discharge to Verdal Municipality, be equally effective in preventing aggravation of disease and loss of function for patients over 60 years that have been hospitalized in Levanger hospital? Are the cost by discharge to the Intermediate Care Unit in Stjørdal, when the hospital is not located in the same Municipality, comparable to the cost by direct discharge to the Municipality of Verdal, for patients over 60 years that have been hospitalized in Levanger hospital? Which issues are considered important by patients and health personnel during discharge, arrival and follow up in the Municipality, to ensure an optimal interaction between the involved units.

Official Title
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Can Discharge Via an Intermediate Care Unit Prevent Aggravation of Disease and Loss of Functionality, Without Increasing the Level of Cost? A Controlled Observational Study

Conditions
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Patients, Aged

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Intermediate care unit
* Other: Local health care 1
* Other: Local health care 2


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients 60 years old or older from Stjørdal- or Verdal municipality, given consent, admitted from their home, diagnostics completed and necessary treatment started the patient need not less than 3-4 days institutionalization for treatment/rehabilitation/care Exclusion Criteria: Patients with severe dementia Patients with severe disease who cannot give consent Patients with severe disease with short life expectancy (including severe cancer)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 60 Years
Maximum Age: 99 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intermediate care unit<br>Follow-up treatment and care in a intermediate care unit after discharge from hospital | Other: Intermediate care unit<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: Local health care 1<br>Discharge from hospital to usual care as provided by the local health and social care (Verdal) | Other: Local health care 1<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: Local health care 2<br>Discharge from hospital to usual care as provided by the local health and social care (Stjørdal) | Other: Local health care 2<br> <br> |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hospital readmission | Acute admission to hospital within 30 days from previous discharge | 30 days | 
| Use of local health care services |  | up to 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| death |  | up to 1 year | 
| hospital admission |  | up to 1 year | 
| functional assessment status |  | up to 6 months | 
| Health service cost |  | up to 1 year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Hospital Readmissions, Community Health Services, Preventive Health Services, Norway