HOSPITALS RECOGNIZED FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE
THE STORY BEHIND
THE SCENES
Recently, several hospitals on the island were recognized by MCS
for their outstanding performance regarding the health and wellbeing
of their patients. However, little has been said about the
efforts and integrated work carried out on a daily basis to
achieve these recognized results.
Health care is constantly evolving towards an interdisciplinary
model, which addresses the physical and psychosocial needs that
may be barriers when transitioning a patient from the hospital to as part of that interdisciplinary
team, MCS supports hospitals
through itsTransition of Care Unit (TOC).
An interdisciplinary model allows healthcare professionals to adress all the factors that
affect the patient's transition of care and eventual total recovery, as well as to integrate specialized
clinical care for long-term control of the condition that led to the patient's hospitalization.
Recognized hospitals are
distinguished by working effectively
with this unit, considering all
the hospitalized person’s wellness components.
From the time the person is
admitted to the hospital, this
unit’s staff frequently
conducts rounds of case discussions with the hospital’s
multidisciplinary clinical team.
This team which is comprised of
doctors, nurses, social
workers, and mental health
professionals tasked with identifying and addressing the
patient’s particular physical and
psychosocial needs, along with factors that may impede the
person’s transition to the next
required level of care, once discharged.
For a period of 30 days after the
patient is discharged, TOC
ensures the coordination of
appointments with the person’s primary care physician, and
works with the pharmacy to ensure
the necessary drugs have already been ordered upon
discharge. In the case of patients with
diabetes, the unit coordinates the necessary wound or ulcer
healing services – all to prevent a
relapse of the condition.
Another tool to help patients avoid
hospital relapses is Poder
Nutritivo, a novel nutritional medical program designed to
reduce the risk of chronic condition relapses through a diet plan
adapted to the patient’s needs. This program is currently in the
pilot phase, and in the process of being expanded to more
hospitals.
