Assessing Family Caregiver Readiness for Hospital Discharge of Patients With Serious or Life-Limiting Illness Using Electronic Health Record and Self-Reported Data

Abstract

Objective

To assess how patient and caregiver factors influence caregiver readiness for hospital discharge in palliative care patients.

Study Setting and Design

This transitional care study uses cross-sectional data from a randomized controlled trial conducted from 2018 to 2023 testing an intervention for caregivers of hospitalized adult patients with a serious or life-limiting illness who received a palliative care consult prior to transitioning out of the hospital.

Data Sources and Analytical Sample

Caregiver readiness was measured with the Family Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (n = 231). Caregiver demographic, intra- and interpersonal factors were self-reported. Patient demographic, comorbidity score, and risk score for complicated discharge planning were extracted from electronic health records. Stepwise regression models estimated variance explained (r²) in caregiver readiness for patient hospital discharge.

Principal Findings

Patient demographics and complexity were not statistically associated with caregiver readiness for discharge. Caregiver depressive symptoms, poor caregiver-patient relationship quality, and fewer hours spent caregiving prior to hospitalization explained 29% of the variance in caregiver readiness.

Conclusions

Reliance on patient data may not be sufficient for explaining caregiver readiness for discharge. Assessing caregiver factors may be a better alternative for identifying caregivers at risk for low discharge readiness and those in need of additional support.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov on November 13, 2017, (No. NCT03339271)