This study set out to investigate the characteristics of patients hospitalized at a convalescent hospital according to the patient groups based on their medical record information and analyze correlations among the factors, thus providing basic data needed to improve the patient classification system at convalescent hospitals.
The subjects include total 213 pieces of medical record information among patients that were discharged from a
convalescent hospital in the Jeonbuk region during a period of one year from January to December, 2016.
The findings were as follows:
First, the study examined age according to the patient groups and found that those who were 85 or older accounted for the biggest portion in the highest-medical demand group at 62.5% and that those who were in the range of 75~84 recorded the highest percentage in the high-medical demand, middle-medical demand, and cognitive impairment group at 45.8%, 51.3%, and 49.1%, respectively. Those who were in the range of 65~74 recorded the highest percentage in the physical deterioration group at 42.3% with statistically significant differences(p<0.01).
Second, the study examined the hospitalization courses according to the patient groups and found that an acute care hospital
recorded the highest percentage in the highest-, high-, and middle-medical demand group at 100.0%, 52.1%, and 59.2%, respectively and that a clinic was the highest in the physical deterioration group at 38.5% with statistically significant differences(p<0.001).
Third, the study looked into medical departments in which patients received treatment after hospitalization according to the
patient groups and found that the department of surgery(58.3%) recorded a higher percentage in the high-medical demand group
than the department of internal medicine, which recorded a higher percentage in the other patient groups than the department of surgery with statistically significant differences(p<0.01).
Fourth, the study examined the state of communication according to the patient groups and found that those who were incapable of communication recorded the highest percentage in the highest-medical demand group at 100.0% and that those who had difficulties with communication recorded the highest percentage in the high-medical demand group at 58.3%. In the other patient groups, those who engaged in smooth communication recorded the highest percentage with statistically significant differences(p<0.001).
Fifth, as for residence after discharge according to the patient groups, others recorded the highest percentage in the highest- and high-medical demand group at 75.0% and 41.7%, respectively. Home recorded the highest percentage in the other patient groups with statistically significant differences(p<0.001).
Finally, the study examined correlations between the days of hospitalization and the number of diseases and found positive(+)
correlations between them with a correlation coefficient at r=0.461(p<0.01), which indicates that the more diseases a patient had, the longer they were hospitalized.
Based on these findings, the study raises a need to revise and supplement the items on the patient assessment report to
determine the patient groups to reflect medical efforts actually provided to patients. In addition, a proper care service system for each patient group based on the problems that should be intensively managed according to the patient groups will be an essential element in the efficient management of convalescent hospitals and further an important task to manage the health of the elderly population at the national level.