By Janet Bowen
WHAT IS DISCHARGE
PLANNING
 Discharge planning is the process by
which the patient is assisted to develop
a plan of care for ongoing maintenance
and improvement of health care even
after he or she may be discharge from
the acute care hospital.
IMPLEMENTATION OF DISCHARGE
PLANNING
 Discharge planning has been part of nursing
for a long time.
 It is a vital aspect of patient care and labeled
as a patient’s right.
 Patient’s play an important role in
contributing to care outside the hospital.
 Hospitals continue with the continuity of
care and allows many patient to be
independent quickly.
What is necessary for the
Discharge Process?
 Advisement of the next Doctor’s visit. Review of
the patient Medicare insurance payment.
 Explanation of the patient medication regiment.
 Uniformity with home health care in the home.
 Any type of equipment for example like
wheelchair, walker special beds are taken care of
before the discharge.
Multidisciplinary Process of
discharge planning
 Discharge planning department
 Continuity of care department
 Clinical social work department
 Patient management Services
 Case management Department
 Patient resources department
 Utilization management services.etc
Variation in the discharge planning
process
 Over 65 years of age and lives alone
 Developmentally disable, regardless of age
 Suspected abuse or neglect
 Admitted from a nursing home, residential care home,
or specialty hospital
 No known address or residence outside the area
 Readmissions within 30days
 Attempted suicide
Crucial part of discharge planning
 Medical record review
 Assessment
 patient mental state
 support system
 financial position
 Patient Interview and family involvement
Questioning the patient
intelligence and observation in
discharge planning process
 Does he or she follow instruction?
 Does he or she seem angry at or fearful of family
members?
 Does the patient live in a house, condo apartment?
 Does the patient share a bedroom with someone.
 Who is responsibility for laundry, meals and
shopping?
Education, Teaching Return
demonstration
 Diet
 Diabetic teaching
 Crutch training, walker or wheel chair mobility
 Help necessary for grocery shopping
 Bed adequacy
 Transfer from bed to chair
 Family participation
 Financial burden
Benefits Available
 Medicare is available to people who meet
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requirements.
65 years old
Disabled for two years or longer
People with permanent kidney failure
Application to the program before age 65.
Medicare part A and Medicare part B
Appropriate Discharge planning
 Focus on health education
 Disease management
 Reduction in hospital cost
 Patient rights/involvement of family and decision
making
 discharge planner integrity
 Smooth transition into the community
 Follow up phone call within 24 hours of discharge