Program evaluation of a recuperative care pilot project.
Lauren Valk Lawson, Bonnie Bowie, Melanie Neufeld
PMID 33190328WHAT IT FOUND
Twenty-three people were admitted to a motel recuperative care program after 73 referrals, with an average stay of 37 days and 22% discharged to stable housing.
Nurses may consider it for unhoused patients who can self-care, but there was no comparator.
Key findings
01Twenty-three people were admitted after 73 referrals, and their average length of stay was 37 days.
02Ten admissions (44%) were for abscess or wound care, and four (17%) were for postsurgery recovery.
03Five guests (22%) were discharged to stable housing, while 30% were discharged without identified housing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 23 people were admitted from 73 referrals, and many referrals were declined, so this does not show how the program would work at larger scale. There was no control group or comparison program, so changes in length of stay, housing, or costs cannot be attributed to recuperative care. Cost savings were estimated from predicted hospital charges, not measured directly. Documentation was inconsistent, and early files did not allow analysis of why 14 people were not considered for admission. Discharge destinations were unclear, so the program could not demonstrate a transition into stable housing.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the estimated $18,000 to $48,000 savings or the 22% stable housing rate as proof that motel recuperative care works. There was no comparator, only 23 admitted people, and the savings were based on predicted hospital charges.