19th Annual Student Research Conference
Human Potential and Performance
Creation of a Hospital Based Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Emily M. Krogmann* and Maureen M. Bylina
Dr. Carol Cox, Faculty Mentor
The Missouri Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program consists of volunteers serving residents of nursing homes as patient advocates who provide support and assistance with any problems and complaints the residents might have. However, the law does not specify that hospitals that have special beds to provide skilled nursing care need to have long-term care ombudsmen. This is unfortunate, as many of these hospital patients subsequently enter nursing homes. Therefore, volunteer ombudsmen who are also members of Eta Sigma Gamma created a model “Hospital Based Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program” and piloted it in a Northeast Missouri medical center. The Model Program was instituted for a year in the swing bed unit of a rural, Northeast Missouri medical center. Although most (32.9%, 128/389) patients were subsequently discharged and transferred to home health, 29% (113/389) of the patients were later transferred to a skilled nursing home or long-term care facility.
Keywords: ombudsmen, hospital, patient, advocate, medical center, Northeast Missouri, nursing home, long-term care
Topic(s):Health Science
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 60-44
Location: OP Lobby and Atrium
Time: 4:15