Flow chart of patient enrollment.

<p>*Patient admitted in fixed region of the hospitalist-care ward.</p

Curves plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method for (A) patients with post-discharge medical counseling (PDMC) alone or (B) with red-flag sign (RFS), according to the levels of Barthel index (BI) score.

<p>Curves plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method for (A) patients with post-discharge medical counseling (PDMC) alone or (B) with red-flag sign (RFS), according to the levels of Barthel index (BI) score.</p

Criteria of red flag signs for each specific indicator.

<p>This table is modified from our previous study <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0064274#pone.0064274-Shu2" target="_blank">[13]</a> with permission from publisher of BioMed Central.</p>*<p>Measured by the Medical Research Council dyspnea scale <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0064274#pone.0064274-Bestall1" target="_blank">[28]</a>.</p>#<p>Measured by a grading system developed for cancer treatment <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0064274#pone.0064274-Trotti1" target="_blank">[29]</a>.</p>†<p>Measured by the Numerical Rating Scale <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0064274#pone.0064274-Stinson1" target="_blank">[30]</a>.</p>‡<p>Measured by the longest length of the lesion.</p

Related staffing costs in managing hot-line medical counseling.

<p>All costs were at an exchange rate of US$1.00 to 29.37 NT$ as of 1st October 2012.</p>*<p>Cost/hr was calculated using average monthly payment divided by 160 formal work-hours per month. Payment information was based on the time period from January to June 2012.</p

Adverse outcomes within 30 days after discharge according to post-discharge medical counseling (PDMC) status and red-flag sign (RFS).

<p>Data are no. (%) or mean ± standard deviation unless otherwise indicated.</p>*<p>Statistical significance (<i>p</i><0.05) comparing patients with and without PDMC.</p>#<p>Statistical significance (<i>p</i><0.05) comparing patients with and without PDMC and RFS.</p

Multivariate analysis of factors associated with demand for medical counseling within 30 days post-discharge.

<p>Abbreviation: CI, confidence interval.</p>*<p>Anemia was defined as hemoglobin <12 g/dL in males and <11 g/dL in females.</p