Preadmission Preparation

Rationale

The patients admitted to the Clinical Center often require specialized testing or procedures conducted by institute and Clinical Center staff that are necessary for their protocol participation or their appropriate medical care. Further, specialists and consultants from other institutes may participate in the patients’ evaluation and care.

To ensure (1) optimal patient care in a timely manner and (2) efficient use of Clinical Center and institute resources, preadmission scheduling of tests and procedures and coordination of activities are necessary. Such planning will promote patients’ confidence that their unique needs have been considered and accommodated—to the extent that is possible—during their stays at the Clinical Center.

Standard

The clinical staff will conduct preadmission planning for each scheduled admission of patients. These discussions should address patient schedules and special needs (e.g., language or mobility). Physicians, dentists, and other licensed independent practitioners, nursing staff (including the nurse manager), research nurses, and protocol coordinators may participate in these meetings, which also may involve social workers, nutritionists, pharmacists, and other members of the multidisciplinary care team.

To maximize efficient use of patient-care unit resources and anticipate the possible need to “board” patients on other units, meeting participants may discuss bed utilization.

Patients will receive information about their scheduled admissions in writing, by phone call, or via informational Web sites created by institutes and centers. This may include practical information about the Clinical Center and the patient-care unit to which the patient will be admitted as well as specific information about the protocol.