Opening Keynote

In yesterday’s opening keynote session, "Transforming the Course: Enhancing the Patient Care Team for Optimal Transitions in Care," Mary Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, discussed the vital role of the healthcare team in providing safe, effective care transitions. She emphasized the importance of obtaining a thorough understanding of the often complex needs of patients and their caregivers and discussed the importance of bridging the gap between those needs and the services available to address them. Naylor noted that study results have supported the notion that the transitional care model can improve outcomes and mentioned a number of organizations that are having success with it.