Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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Successful Hospital Discharges Aren't Accidents SENIOR CORNER by MARTHA OWEN & SUSAN GUY "A process used to decide what a patient needs for a smooth transition from one level of care to another." Medicare mandates that a discharge plan be in place to identify patients likely to suffer adverse events post discharge. It requires that these plans be a part of the medical record, show evidence of family inclusion in the process and account for the patient's ability for self-care and the avail- Nearly a quarter of all hospital discharges pa- tients experience an adverse medical event within one month of discharge. Since 1970 the average length of time spent by older patients has declined by an average of seven days. This decline in time spent in the hospital means planning a successful discharge is even more critical. Adverse events include errors in prescriptions, in medication orders, infection, confusion about discharge instructions and a failure to follow-up on unresolved problems. Because the discharge happens at a naturally stressful time, the patient finds themselves frequently unable to recall criti- cal discharge instructions or not even being in- cluded in the process at all. Medicare defines discharge planning this way: ability of post hospital services. You, as a patient, have a responsibility to know sev- eral things about your discharge plan including: • Expected date of discharge and diagnosis at time of discharge • Medications/prescriptions at time of discharge • Transportation needs at time of discharge • Medical equipment needs (Cane, Walker, oxygen, etc) • Home-care needs (home health aide, VNA, Physical therapist) Since 1970 the average length of time spent by older pa- tients has declined by an average of seven days. more. For more informa- tion, call 910-484-7200 or visit www.homein- stead.com/647. The Great Debates Round Two by JOHN HOOD On Tuesday evening, the second presidential debate of 2012 put President Barack Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney in a town hall-style forum moderated by CNN's Candy Crowley. For both men, the pressure was on. Romney's strong performance in the first debate had vaulted him back into contention. Would Obama bring it this time? Would Romney maintain his momentum? I'll give you my answers to these questions in a moment, as well as my thoughts about the second gubernatorial debate between Walter Dalton and Pat McCrory. But first, a point of personal privilege. I hate town hall debates. The questions are often poorly chosen and written. The debates are often poorly moderated, and tend to me- ander. Tuesday night's debate exhibited all these defects. The best moments came when the two candidates talked directly to each other, rather than sticking to the debate for- mat. The worst moments came after Crowley tried to shut down the best moments. Now, as to the Hofstra University de- bate, I think Obama was clearly stronger and better prepared than last time. I also think Romney delivered a polished, effective performance. I doubt the event will change many minds. I'm looking forward to a better-structured debate, the final one on foreign policy. Debates are often poorly moderated, and tend to meander. Tuesday night's debate exhibited all these defects. This time, Dalton stuck to a few messages and repeated them several times: that the math of McCrory's tax and budget plans didn't add up, that voters should wonder why McCrory won't release his tax returns or explain his consulting work for a Charlotte law firm and that McCrory's opposition to the Racial Justice Act made him racially insensitive. For his part, McCrory stayed relaxed and even- tempered throughout the second debate, rather than becoming testy as he had at one point dur- ing the first one. He obviously doesn't like his public career and personal ethics to be challenged. Who does? But he's also come to understand that the Democratic strategy here is to provoke him into losing his temper. The strategy isn't really to convince North Carolina voters to base their se- lection of the next governor on the public disclo- sure of tax returns. Voters aren't going to do that. On substance, McCrory had an answer for each Dalton charge, though not always a specific one. He said his tax reforms would be phased in and result in job creation. He said that Dalton's attacks on his personal character were destruc- tive and desperate. And he described the Racial Justice Act as a poorly written bill, opposed by the state's district attorneys, that is being abused by death-row inmates of all races. By contrast, the Dalton and McCrory debate — broadcast a couple of hours before the presidential town hall — closely resembled their previ- ous one, right down to the same host (the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters), the same moderator and the same design of a panel of TV anchors asking questions. Perhaps that's why both candidates were better this time around. They knew what to expect, and had a chance to tweak their performance. Dalton was visibly more comfortable, both on camera and in attack mode against McCrory. The lieutenant governor will never be a stellar television personality. In the second debate, however, he didn't look as nervous. More importantly, he wasn't as programmed full of sound bites and factoids as in the first debate, during which his answers sounded jumbled and confusing. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Throughout the debate, Dalton argued that his knowledge and experi- ence in state government had prepared him for the challenges facing the next governor. McCrory responded by pointing out that Dalton has been a powerful state senator and then lieutenant governor for many years. Why hasn't he made more progress? I thought that Dalton's answer, that he has yet to be "given the steering wheel," was pretty weak. Dalton, lagging badly in the polls, needed to attack. Check. McCrory needed to project confidence and just let Dalton's bait continue to bob in the water. Check. I scored the first presidential and gubernatorial de- bates as wins for Romney and McCrory. I score both Tuesday night debates as draws. JOHN HOOD, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? editor@upandcomin- gweekly.com OCTOBER 24-30, 2012 UCW 17 • Rehab needs (acute,subacute) • Special Foods and/or diet restrictions • Physical activity restrictions • Follow-up appointments Home Instead Senior Care of Fayetteville has put together an extremely useful Discharge Planning Booklet which includes the above tips plus many MARTHA OWEN & SUSAN GUY, Owners of Home Instead Senior Care, Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com.