Hospital Discharge Planning Help
s Ensure a Patient’s Recovery At Home After a Medical Procedure or Injury, Presented by BrightStar Care of Austin
Discharge planning is an important part of a medical treatment plan, and has 4 phases:
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Patient assessment
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Development of a discharge plan
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Provision of services, including patient/family education and service referrals
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Follow-up/evaluation
Hospitals have different types of planning strategies, but in each phase there is one important factor in meeting a patient's needs: discharge planning is more effective when there is interdisciplinary input in the planning for a patient’s safe return home.
“The advantage of involving multiple disciplines in a team effort is that the expertise of each discipline is brought to bear on identifying and meeting the patient’s ongoing needs. Through such professional interaction, the patient’s needs can be identified more readily, and appropriate referrals for services can be coordinated and executed in a timely manner.”
Medical case managers and discharge planners assume primary responsibility for coordinating the discharge plan with other providers. Case managers connect patients to various services and “have specific knowledge of the complicated reimbursement requirements can act more efficiently to implement aftercare services.”
Discharge planners evaluate the patient’s needs and treatment after hospitalization, and work with the patient or a relative, friend or other significant other to execute the plan. They also provide referrals for home care or a transfer to another facility as needed.
BrightStar Care of Austin works closely with social workers and discharge planners to ensure continuation of care after a hospital stay or medical procedure.
To learn more about our transition care services, please visit our website.
Source: https://www.caregiver.org/hospital-discharge-planning-guide-families-and-caregivers