Led by physicians at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the study examines responses of 58 clinicians in eight focus groups. The clinicians all practiced in North Carolina and in practices actively working to improve care transitions.
The study found primary care physicians and hospital clinicians did not communicate well or frequently did not communicate at all — some primary care physicians did not know patients from their practices had been to the hospital, according to a statement.
In other cases, it was unclear who was responsible for follow up tests after a hospital discharge or for home healthcare.
“Communication between hospitalists and PCPs around patient hospitalizations occurs infrequently and is associated with scenarios involving more serious patient issues, including readmissions, following discharge,” the authors wrote.
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