Family involvement in transitional care from hospital to home and its impact on older patients, families, and health care providers: a mixed methods systematic review protocol

Objective: The goal of this review is to synthesize the available evidence on family involvement in transitional care and its impact on patients’ and family caregivers’ health as well as health care providers’ satisfaction. Introduction: Involving families in transitional care from hospital to home has been undertaken to improve care quality, patient safety, and well-being. Successful family involvement in care depends on the interaction between the health care system and health care providers. However, family involvement in this process has not yet been systematically examined. This review will examine published quantitative and qualitative studies to create a better understanding of family involvement in transitional care. Inclusion criteria: This review will consider family involvement in transitional care, encompassing older patients, family caregivers, and health care providers. The quantitative component will compare family involvement interventions with standard care or alternative interventions. Outcomes will be grouped by older patients, family caregivers, and health care providers. For the qualitative component, the subjective experiences of all groups will be explored. Methods: Eligible quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method studies will be searched in databases and gray literature sources. The review will consider studies from 1989 to the present, published in English or Thai. Study selection, critical appraisal, data extraction, and data synthesis will be undertaken by two independent reviewers following the segregated JBI approach to mixed methods reviews. Systematic review registration number: PROSPERO CRD42020191464