So many options, where do we start? An overview of the care transitions literature.

Background: Health systems are faced with a large array of transitional care interventions and patient populations to whom such activities might apply.

Purpose: To summarize the health and utilization effects of transitional care interventions, and to identify common themes about intervention types, patient populations, or settings that modify these effects.

Data Sources: PubMed and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (January 1950-May 2014), reference lists, and technical advisors.