Table 1.
Summary of Included Studies Using SPIDER Tool Categories
| Study | Sample | Phenomenon or Intervention | Design/Evaluation | Research |
| Allen et al, 200436 (United States) | No sample described. | Comprehensive, MDT post-discharge care management model used in an ongoing study. | Descriptive report of the rationale and theoretical basis for a randomized trial. | Quantitative |
| Baker & Wellman, 200550 (United States) | Hospital case managers (n=84). | Identification of discharge planning concerns regarding patient nutrition and need for dietician. | Survey with 86 questions and 6 case scenarios. SPSS for data analysis. | Quantitative |
| Bleijlevens et al, 200851 (The Netherlands) | Outpatients (n=333). Primary care staff (n=8). | Process evaluation of a primary care MDT falls prevention program. | Survey, structured phone/face-to-face interview and plenary group discussion. | Mixed methods |
| Christie et al, 201652 (United Kingdom) | Outpatients (n=45) and caregivers (n=18). Primary care staff (n=40). | Service provider and patient experiences and views about post-hospital care and PCP role. | A multi-center longitudinal study with qualitative semi-structured face-to face and phone interview. Thematic analysis. | Quantitative not provided. Qualitative |
| Dossa et al, 201253 (United States) | Outpatients (n=9) and caregivers (n=9). | Identification of patient/caregiver experience and care transition failures from hospital to home. | Longitudinal study using convenience sample. Thematic analysis. | Qualitative |
| Fleiger et al, 201937 (United States) | Hospital/primary care staff (n=18). | Exploration of payment and delivery system reform to improve coordination/communication | Case Study Design. Semi structured in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis. | Qualitative |
| Hansson et al, 201754 (Sweden) | Hospital/primary care and patient/caregivers (n=24). | Healthcare professionals’ experience of patient, caregiver and healthcare provider collaboration. | Purposive sampling for three focus group interviews. | Qualitative |
| Hawes et al, 20185 (United States) | Outpatients (n=268) | Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary outpatient-based transition program. | Descriptive statistics to summarize patient and process characteristics. | Quantitative |
| Hesselink et al, 201438 (The Netherlands) | Hospital/primary care staff, patient/caregivers (n=321). | Intervention Mapping Model to improve patient discharge process and reduce readmissions. | Description of model. 26 focus groups and 321 individual interviews. | Qualitative |
| Holmes et al, 201639 (New Zealand) | Hospital staff (n=42). Inpatients (n=51). | Allied Health introduced in hospital Emergency Department, working in interdisciplinary team. | Descriptive retrospective report of a pilot study. Staff and consumer survey. | Quantitative. |
| Hsiao et al, 201840 (United States) | Team leaders of Acute, Ambulatory, Behavioral and Nursing Care (n=8). | Community Health Partnership to improve coordination between hospital, nursing home and primary care for high-risk patients. | Description of design/implementation of a complex care coordination program. | Qualitative. |
| Ivanoff et al, 201855 (Sweden) | Hospital/primary care OT, PT, SW, nursing and medical staff (n=46). | Different professionals’ views and experiences of a comprehensive geriatric assessment. | Purposive sampling for focus group interviews. | Qualitative. |
| Johannessen & Steihaug, 201356 (Norway) | Unit nursing, medical, OT & PT staff (n=24). Primary care staff (n=14). | Role of professional collaboration in patients’ transitions home from hospital via transition unit. | Semi-structured interviews and meeting observations. Systematic text condensation. | Qualitative. |
| Kind et al, 201157 (United States) | Inpatients (n=187). | Rate of dysphagia recommendation omissions in discharge summaries for high-risk patients. | Retrospective cohort design: SLP reports abstracted, coded, compared. | Quantitative. |
| Massy-Westropp et al, 200541 (Australia) | Hospital/primary care medical, nursing and allied health staff (n=82). | Effectiveness of electronic data link to transfer information between hospital and primary care. | Staff satisfaction survey SPSS analysis. Content analysis of two staff focus groups with independent facilitator. | Mixed methods. |
| Mc Ainey et al, 201642 (Canada) | 1st 18 month of referrals to Intensive Geriatric Service (n=692) | Intensive Geriatric Services Worker role and impact on clients, caregivers and healthcare system. | Chart audit analyzed with descriptive statistics. Naturalistic inquiry approach for phone interview inductive analysis. | Mixed methods. |
| Miller et al, 201943 (United States) | Sample not described. | Protocol for advanced care coordination program between hospitals and primary care. | Database will allow continuous audit of SW-led longitudinal care coordination. | Quantitative |
| Rowlands et al, 201258 (Australia) | Hospital medical staff (n=22) and PCP (n=8). | Perceptions of quality, timeliness and format of patient information sent from hospital to PCP. | Grounded theory approach. In- depth interviews with convenience sample. | Qualitative |
| Rydeman & Tornkvist, 200659 (Sweden) | Hospital/primary care nursing and SW (n=31). | Experiences of the discharge process among different healthcare professionals. | Phenomenological approach. Data analysis from 8 focus-group interviews. | Qualitative |
| Tang et al, 201760 (United Kingdom) | Hospital/primary care medical, nursing, OT & PT staff (n=17). | Gaps in care for patients with memory deficits after stroke. | Semi-structured face-to-face/phone interviews. Thematic analysis. | Qualitative |
| Thomas & Siaki, 201744 (United States) | Hospital/primary care nurses, IT, pharmacist, case manager, unit secretary and PCP (n=?). | Analysis of discharge and rehospitalization rate to create action plans directed at reducing risks. | ‘Healthcare Failure Model and Effects Analysis’ and ‘Project Re-engineered Discharge’ tool kits used to target risk priorities with stakeholder input | Mixed method |
| Trankle et al, 201945 (Australia) | Hospital/primary care nursing, medical, allied health, care facilitators, patient/caregivers (n=83). | Investigation of the effectiveness of an integrated care program. | Qualitative evaluation using a framework analysis, with 125 in-depth interviews over 12 months. | Qualitative |
| Wilson K et al, 200561 (Australia) | Nurse practitioners (n=9). | Nurse practitioners experience of collaboration with allied health and PCP | Descriptive exploratory study. Thematic analysis. Semi-structured interviews. | Qualitative |
| Wilson S et al, 200446 (Australia) | Hospital medical, SLP, SW, OT, PT & nursing staff (n=14). Patients (n=100) | Videoconference compared to audioconference for MDT discharge planning. | Randomized controlled trial. Two group comparison of two different methods of case conferencing. Staff satisfaction survey analysis process not described. | Mixed methods |
Abbreviations: PCP, primary care practitioner; MDT, multidisciplinary team; OT, occupational therapist; PT, physiotherapist; SLP, speech & language pathologist; SW, social worker; IT, information technology; EMR, electronic medical record.