The Importance Of Follow-Up Care

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Introduction "Planning your Follow-up Care" is an educational brochure published by The Joint Commission in 2014. The Joint Commission is a non-profit organization that aims to improve the health care system in the United States. This brochure, in particular, provides patients with important tips and questions to ask prior to being discharged from the hospital. Proper follow-up care is essential for maintaining physical and emotional health, and it all begins with knowledge about the significance of self-care.
Summary of Brochure "Planning your Follow-up Care" is a brochure created by The Joint Commission to help patients gain the information needed to feel comfortable about returning home after a hospital stay. This brochure encourages communication between the patient and healthcare provider by incorporating a list of questions the patient should ask regarding advocacy, prescribed medications, and various medical concerns. Suggestions are also included such as; getting a number from their healthcare provider to discuss any questions or concerns that may arise in the future. According to The Joint Commission (2014), “you have the right to get important information about your care in your preferred language” (p.2), therefore it is encouraged that patients take advantage of an interpreter, if needed, to ensure that one fully understands the instructions that go along with at-home care. However, if a patient is still feeling overwhelmed or hesitant about caring for themselves, there are additional resources available. These resources include home care services and skilled nursing facilities. The brochure concludes by highlighting important details to discuss with the healthcare provider before leaving the hospital. These details can be addressed by asking questions about the patient's possible mobility restrictions, any needed assistive equipment, physical therapy, expectations, warning signs and any questions that the patient may have regarding their prescription. Evaluation of Brochure This topic, follow-up care, interested me a great deal because I was once a patient who had been discharged from the hospital without the necessary knowledge needed to care for myself.
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It wasn't until I got home that I realized that there were still so many questions left to be answered. I felt like I had nowhere to turn for help because I was unaware of the many resources that were actually available to me. I should've taken advantage of my stay by asking the nurses questions and clarifying what I didn't understand. I left the hospital uneducated because I wasn’t unaware of the complications I’d face once returning home and I just simply didn't know what to ask before getting discharged. That is why I liked this brochure so much, The Joint Commission did a great job making sure that the patient obtained the knowledge needed to provide the best follow-up care upon discharge. The brochure is broken up into three sections; what one should do before …show more content…
Each section was created in a checklist format which displayed the content very clearly. All of the information provided was compiled on one page making it easy for a patient to follow each step. However, if I could make any changes to the brochure I would simply add a section at the beginning that highlights some of the reasons why follow-up care is so important. Nonetheless, this was a very beneficial brochure that I would personally utilize as a nurse when giving health promotion education. Although this brochure is geared towards patients being discharged from a hospital, patients in various situations, such as post-cancer treatment, can benefit from this information

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