Long-Term Care Facilities, Continuity of Care

The AAFP supports the role of family physicians in providing care of their patients following admission to long-term, subacute or extended care facilities by continuing as attending physicians when reasonable, or by coordinating care with other practitioners. Care coordination involves the timely transfer of medical information, communication with patients’ family members, and resumption of direct care upon patient admission to hospital, or discharge into the community. Family physicians are encouraged to continue to be advocates for their patients' well-being by promoting the highest quality of health care in such facilities. (1982) (2008)