Israel Launches 'Bridge to Health' Program for Post-Hospitalized Elderly
Translated & summarized from Mignews by baba
Israel's Meuhedet health fund has launched the "Bridge to Health" program to support elderly patients after hospital discharge. The initiative provides personalized care plans and proactive interventions to prevent health deterioration and maintain independence, showing promising results in reducing readmissions.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- New "Bridge to Health" program supports elderly Israelis post-hospitalization.
- Program aims to prevent health decline and maintain independence.
- It involves personalized assessments and care plans.
- Early data shows reduced emergency hospitalizations.
- Initiative is a collaboration between Meuhedet, Ministry of Health, and JDC-Eshel.
Israel's Meuhedet health fund, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and JDC-Eshel, has launched a new program called "Bridge to Health" aimed at supporting elderly individuals after hospital discharge. The program seeks to address the challenges faced by seniors and their families during the critical transition period from hospital to home, ensuring continuity of care and preventing deterioration.
The initiative focuses on proactive intervention, identifying patients over 65 who are at risk of declining health or loss of independence following hospitalization. "Hospitalization is a serious event at any age, but for an elderly person, it can be a turning point," explained Ishai Kum, head of the Elderly Citizens Department at Meuhedet. He noted that even after the initial health issue is resolved, seniors may experience weakness, confusion, mobility issues, and increased dependency.
"Bridge to Health" employs a proactive medicine approach, with healthcare professionals reaching out to patients rather than waiting for them to seek help. A geriatric-trained nurse conducts a comprehensive assessment of the patient's physical and emotional state, medication regimen, daily functioning, and support system. Based on this evaluation, an individualized plan is created, facilitating communication between the patient, family, primary care physician, and other specialists like pharmacists, physical therapists, and social workers.
Digital tools, including Meuhedet's MEFI electronic frailty index, help identify patients needing immediate attention. Early results from the program, which has involved approximately 950 participants, show a significant reduction in emergency hospitalizations compared to a control group (10.4% versus 19%). Furthermore, 87% of program participants maintained stable or improved health during the observation period.
The program's ultimate goal is not only to prevent readmissions but also to empower seniors to regain and maintain their independence, understand their health conditions, and feel secure in their recovery process. "The main idea of the 'Bridge to Health' program is not just to prevent re-hospitalization, but to make the difficult days after discharge more organized," stated Dr. Galit Segal, head of the nationwide geriatrics department at Meuhedet.