No one wants to stay in the hospital longer than they have to. There’s nothing fun about getting sick or injured, and there’s nothing more depressing than being stuck in a room all by yourself while you recover. But sometimes, this becomes the reality for people who find themselves stuck in the cycle of rehospitalization.
What is re-hospitalization?
Re-hospitalization refers to people who have been released from a hospital after being treated for an injury or illness, but then had to return to that same hospital due to a relapse. This could be because of a worsening of their symptoms, new symptoms added on, or anything else going wrong with the recovering patient.
What are the negative effects of re-hospitalization?
It may not seem like a huge deal, but the reality is that re-hospitalization can be extremely dangerous and has negative effects on patients and families. Here is a list of five of these negative effects:
1) Creates dependencies
When patients are continually readmitted into the hospital, they can become dependant on a care system that is not working for them. This can be because they are getting worse health outcomes, or because they are constantly being kept in the dark about what’s going on with their care. It’s important for patients to feel like they have some control over their treatment plan, even if that is difficult to do when you’re recovering from an injury or illness.
2) Can cause depression
When patients are readmitted over and over again into the hospital, they can begin to feel like they are making no progress or that they will never recover. These feelings of hopelessness can result in depression, a disorder that can be extremely harmful to sufferers and those around them.
Depression is a sometimes deadly condition that can lead to suicide, drug abuse, and other dangerous behaviors. Additionally, depression impacts patient morale, which is often associated with poor mental and physical health. When someone is depressed, any other illnesses or diseases will become harder to deal with and may even lead to relapse. In some cases, patients may stop trying to recover or may be in so much pain that they can no longer get themselves to a doctor.
Home care nursing services in Pasco can help with this. Many people don’t realize how dangerous depression can be, and a re-hospitalization could actually be a sign of it.
3) Causes stress for families
Families are vital to the healing process, but they can also be affected by re-hospitalization. When a family member is readmitted over and over again to the hospital, it can cause a lot of stress for everyone. This is especially true if a patient has a long road to recovery, but they’re constantly being put back in the hospital because their family isn’t sure how to care for them at home.
Family members can also be negatively affected by re-hospitalization if a patient relapses and dies. In these cases, family members may feel like they didn’t do enough to care for the patient during their recovery. This can lead to guilt, which is another dangerous emotional state that can negatively impact a person’s life.
Agencies for elderly home care in Hillsborough can help resolve of this anxiety by providing top-notch care for patients.
4) Increases costs of care
Re-hospitalization can get very expensive for patients, their families, and the healthcare system in general. Most insurance companies have a policy that will only pay for a certain number of hospitalizations, and when a patient is just being readmitted without having made any progress, that date will come faster.
5) Increases chances of death
There is a strong correlation between re-hospitalization and death. While this is just an association, it’s important to remember that when a patient is re-hospitalized, they are not receiving the same type of care that they may have been getting before. Because their symptoms are not being addressed, they will not be helped until the issues begin to spiral out of control. By this time, it may even be too late.
Choose home care nursing services in Pasco instead
Given all of these negative effects, it’s clear that re-hospitalization is not a good thing for patients and their families. Instead, home care is a much better option for those who are looking to recover from injury or illness. In the comfort of their own homes, patients can have their symptoms identified and treated in a way that works best for them.
Agencies for elderly home care in Hillsborough like No Place Like Home Care can help you and your loved ones improve your lives and happiness! Contact them today for more information.
No Place Like HomeCare, LLC 