Improving Coordination of Care for Heart Transplant Recipients through a Systematic Method of Education and Communication Between the Transplant Center and Primary Care Providers

Date

2022-12

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Nursing Department, The University of Tampa

Abstract

The nature of our fragmented healthcare system carries great threats to individuals with complex conditions in particular for heart transplant recipients. Care delivery for this vulnerable population requires a concerted collaboration between the transplant specialists and primary care providers (PCPs). Substandard coordination of care can contribute to both underuse and duplicity of essential services, patients’ dissatisfaction, and adverse health outcomes. PCPs frequently report their struggles to obtain pertinent clinical information and guidance from transplant centers to manage the care of solid organ transplant recipients. Furthermore, in healthcare, providers’ level of education and training vary, and curriculums most often do not provide a transplant component. The Iowa model will serve as a guide to translate this DNP project into practice and bridge the existing gap in the co-management of heart transplant patients. A quantitative, non- experimental, correlational study using a pre-assessment Likert scale survey will be administered to assess PCPs’ perceptions of the transplant center, knowledge of transplant most common practices, level of confidence and willingness to co-manage the care of heart transplant recipients. An intervention consisting of a video recording educational presentation explaining a coordination of care manual will be given to each participant. A post- assessment Liker scale will be used to re-evaluate providers’ transplant knowledge, confidence level and willingness to co-manage the care of heart transplant recipients. The purpose of this study is to identify factors that can enhance effective communication and care coordination among PCPs and the transplant center in co-managing heart transplant recipients ‘care. Key words care coordination, heart transplant, effective communication, primary care provider

Description

Keywords

Coordination of care, Primary care providers, Transplant center, Substandard care coordination

Citation

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