Supporting Transitions from Hospital to Home by Engaging Volunteers of Third Sector Organizations: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Introduction: The transition from hospital to home is a critical clinical juncture marked by significant risks. Third Sector Organizations (TSOs) are well-positioned to support these transitions through volunteer-based programs. Given the increasing complexity of patient needs and the push for reduced hospital lengths of stay, the integration of community resources into transitional care becomes vital.

Objective: Study objectives were i) to identify where TSOs are engaged in supporting post-hospital transitions, ii) to document the characteristics of transitional care models delivered by TSOs, and iii) to characterize the clients participating in these volunteer-supported programs.

Methods and results: Forty-eight articles that reported on a community-based program delivered by a third-sector organization supporting adults transitioning from hospital to home were included. Study results suggest that TSOs can fill critical gaps in transitional care by leveraging local knowledge and providing personalized, practical, and psychosocial support. TSOs leveraged volunteers to offer personalized, community-based support that addressed both practical and psychosocial needs during care transitions; however, significant variability in program structure and limited evaluation data hindered the assessment of effectiveness and transferability. All programs were time-limited, engaged volunteers in service delivery, and provided home-based and community-based services.

Conclusions: This review highlights the importance of integrating volunteers and TSOs into health systems to develop a more comprehensive approach to transitional care. However, the scalability of volunteer and third-sector-facilitated programs may be challenged by a lack of consistency in programs and reporting, which can undermine transferability and evidence-based practice.

Keywords: Volunteer; community; public health; scoping review; third-sector; transitional care.

Figure 1

PRISMA flowchart of article screening.

Figure 2

Frequency of study designs from included articles.