This past year, Medicare sponsored a "care transitions" project in 14 states in a concerted effort to cut down on hospital rebound visits. They are discovering that many seniors end up back in the hospital for several specific reasons. Often, they get confused or forget about which medications they should discontinue when a new one is prescribed. For example it can be quite devastating to their health to suddenly find them selves on a double dose of medication designed to reduce blood pressure, when the intention of the doctor may have been to stop reducing it quite so much. Another common difficulty they encounter is getting a follow-up appointment made within an adequate time frame. They come from an era when compliance was expected and they are not inclined to stand up for themselves when an appointment is urgent. If they are told that the first appointment available is in 3 weeks, they simply accept that as a fact. They need to understand that there are times when they must explain that their condition is urgent and that they must be seen as soon as possible.
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