Care transitions for hospitalized patients.

Abstract

Ensuring safe care transitions is a core part of hospital medicine. These transitions include inpatient-outpatient transitions and in-hospital transitions. To ensure safe care during these transitions, clinicians should be aware of the types of transitions and the way in which these transitions can impede safe patient care. With this knowledge, strategies to ensure patient safety during care transitions can be adopted and training directed at teaching physicians safe hands-off practices could be developed and supported.