Table 2. Open in new tab Summary of...

Theme

Code

Description

1. Identification by frequency, shift of responsibility, and low extent of measures/ interventions

Code 1. Short-term, highly frequent transitions and back and forth “ping-pong” (repeating between place A and place B), which can be related to responsibility aversion and finding the right place of care.

Frequent transitions between care settings with a short length of stay in between, with a likelihood of little benefit. Mainly back and forth from the same settings or institutions with the intention to avoid taking responsibility or due to being unable to find an appropriate place of care.

Code 2. Short-term, highly frequent transitions (i.e., chain-like, when a care setting is an intermediate/temporary step with inadequate care in the overall transfer process that could have been avoided, like from place A to place B, to place C, and so on).

Frequent transitions between care settings with a short length of stay in between, with the likelihood of little benefit. One setting after the other with inadequate care taking place in single settings between the origin and destination, with the intention to transfer responsibility or due to being unable to find the proper place of care.

2. Benefit–harm balance

Code 3. Absence of benefit (MCID: minimal clinically important difference)

Transitions where there are neither beneficial nor harmful effects.

Code 4. Presence of harm.

Transitions with associated harm OR harm that outweighs the positive effects (note: often associated with end-of-life care OR terminal illness).

3. Existing alternatives with equivalent or even better outcomes and lower resource utilization

Code 5. Current opportunities.

Transition where the same/similar outcome can be reached in an alternative setting with possible lower resource utilization.

Code 6. Foregone opportunities.

Inappropriate use of resources in the past may lead to avoidable transitions in the present or could include diagnosis/therapy-related errors; management-related errors; and quality of provided services.

Table 2.

Open in new tab

Summary of Themes and Codes from 95 References on Avoidable Care Transitions

Theme	Code	Description
1. Identification by frequency, shift of responsibility, and low extent of measures/ interventions	Code 1. Short-term, highly frequent transitions and back and forth “ping-pong” (repeating between place A and place B), which can be related to responsibility aversion and finding the right place of care.	Frequent transitions between care settings with a short length of stay in between, with a likelihood of little benefit. Mainly back and forth from the same settings or institutions with the intention to avoid taking responsibility or due to being unable to find an appropriate place of care.
	Code 2. Short-term, highly frequent transitions (i.e., chain-like, when a care setting is an intermediate/temporary step with inadequate care in the overall transfer process that could have been avoided, like from place A to place B, to place C, and so on).	Frequent transitions between care settings with a short length of stay in between, with the likelihood of little benefit. One setting after the other with inadequate care taking place in single settings between the origin and destination, with the intention to transfer responsibility or due to being unable to find the proper place of care.
2. Benefit–harm balance	Code 3. Absence of benefit (MCID: minimal clinically important difference)	Transitions where there are neither beneficial nor harmful effects.
2. Benefit–harm balance	Code 4. Presence of harm.	Transitions with associated harm OR harm that outweighs the positive effects (note: often associated with end-of-life care OR terminal illness).
3. Existing alternatives with equivalent or even better outcomes and lower resource utilization	Code 5. Current opportunities.	Transition where the same/similar outcome can be reached in an alternative setting with possible lower resource utilization.
	Code 6. Foregone opportunities.	Inappropriate use of resources in the past may lead to avoidable transitions in the present or could include diagnosis/therapy-related errors; management-related errors; and quality of provided services.

Theme	Code	Description
1. Identification by frequency, shift of responsibility, and low extent of measures/ interventions	Code 1. Short-term, highly frequent transitions and back and forth “ping-pong” (repeating between place A and place B), which can be related to responsibility aversion and finding the right place of care.	Frequent transitions between care settings with a short length of stay in between, with a likelihood of little benefit. Mainly back and forth from the same settings or institutions with the intention to avoid taking responsibility or due to being unable to find an appropriate place of care.
	Code 2. Short-term, highly frequent transitions (i.e., chain-like, when a care setting is an intermediate/temporary step with inadequate care in the overall transfer process that could have been avoided, like from place A to place B, to place C, and so on).	Frequent transitions between care settings with a short length of stay in between, with the likelihood of little benefit. One setting after the other with inadequate care taking place in single settings between the origin and destination, with the intention to transfer responsibility or due to being unable to find the proper place of care.
2. Benefit–harm balance	Code 3. Absence of benefit (MCID: minimal clinically important difference)	Transitions where there are neither beneficial nor harmful effects.
2. Benefit–harm balance	Code 4. Presence of harm.	Transitions with associated harm OR harm that outweighs the positive effects (note: often associated with end-of-life care OR terminal illness).
3. Existing alternatives with equivalent or even better outcomes and lower resource utilization	Code 5. Current opportunities.	Transition where the same/similar outcome can be reached in an alternative setting with possible lower resource utilization.
	Code 6. Foregone opportunities.	Inappropriate use of resources in the past may lead to avoidable transitions in the present or could include diagnosis/therapy-related errors; management-related errors; and quality of provided services.

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only