Ws. Rowe et al., Variables impacting on patients' perceptions of discharge from short-stay hospitalisation or same-day surgery, HEAL SOC C, 8(6), 2000, pp. 362-371
The paper presents components of a study (n = 929) that was designed to exa
mine, at one specific point in time, the hospital experience of the patient
and the patient's corresponding recovery at home. Variables that captured
the hospitalization and recovery experience relate to the degree of patient
involvement in decisions about their treatment and discharge plans. Levels
of health and recovery-related information reported by patients and their
level of confidence in ability to resume regular activities once home were
also measured. In general, individuals reported what many would consider ha
ving received less than optimal levels of information about their illness a
nd recovery at home. Many patients also reported that they neither particip
ated, nor were consulted on their needs or perceptions during their hospita
lization. Expectations were that problems that patients might experience on
ce home would have their origins in problems from within the community. How
ever, the community resources were found to be less implicated and hospital
resources more so. This suggests the importance of examining institutional
issues even when one is focusing on the delivery of community services.