Definition of Discharge Planning

Being admitted to the hospital can be a frightening experience, but being discharged can be scary as well. Most hospitals have discharge-planning protocols in place to help patients once they are no longer being constantly monitored by the doctors and nurses. Successful discharge planning can reduce the need for subsequent hospital visits.

Definition

• According to the Family Caregiver Alliance website, “Medicare says discharge planning is ‘A process used to decide what a patient needs for a smooth move from one level of care to another.'” Often, the patient is being transferred from a hospital to home, a rehabilitative care facility or a nursing home.

The Basics

• While discharge planning can vary from one facility to the next, the FCA site notes that some aspects of discharging a patient from the hospital should be fairly routine. For example, the patient should be assessed by qualified personnel to determine if he is actually ready to leave. If so, the decision should be discussed with the patient or his representative. Then, arrangements for transfer home or to another care facility should be made. The physician should decide if caregiver training or other support will be needed. Sometimes referrals to an home care agency or other appropriate support organizations in the community will be necessary. If possible, this should be scheduled prior to the patient leaving the hospital.

The Importance of Discharge Planning

• For the patient to be as successful as possible at home, good discharge planning is necessary. According to "NurseWeek" magazine, “For many patients, getting ready to leave the hospital is one of the most critical aspects of their hospital stay. Recent studies have shown that careful discharge planning, along with good follow-up contact, can significantly improve patients’ health upon discharge while decreasing health care and social costs.”

The Discharge Planning Team

• Depending on the circumstances, the discharge team will include a variety of people. Most likely, the people involved will be some combination of the patient, a friend or family member who will be involved after the patient leaves the facility, her doctor, a nurse who helped take care of the patient or the charge nurse on the floor and, perhaps, a social worker.

The Checklist

• The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website encourages the discharge planning team to use a checklist to make the transfer more efficient. The following steps are recommended: The patient should know whom to call for help on a daily basis and in case of emergency. The patient should be clear about his condition and what activities will be appropriate. The patient and health care providers should review a list of current medications to be taken, and anyone involved in routine care should know how to operate any necessary medical equipment. Arrangements should be made for the patient to get prescriptions filled. It is best to ask for all instructions in writing, since the day of discharge can be overwhelming.