By 1075 Beach Radio Vernon/Tom Mark

Hospitalization rates of seniors from care homes in question

Aug 1, 2018 | 11:41 AM

VERNON — BC’s Seniors Advocate has released a report that raises questions on the hospitalization rate of seniors in residential care facilities.

Isobel Mackenzie says many emergency room clinicians in six hospitals her review covered felt that some care homes were sending residents to the emergency department unnecessarily.

Her review concludes that residents of a licensed care facility operated by a contracted provider versus one operated by a health authority are 32 per cent more likely to be sent to an emergency department.

It also found 34 per cent are more likely to be hospitalized and the length of stay will be 32 per cent longer.

There is a 47% greater likelihood the patient will not return to the facility they came from and 54 per cent are more likely to die in the hospital.

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Mackenzie urges the Ministry of Health to take a leadership role in directing health authorities to get to the root cause of this and find solutions.

For the full report click here.