December 31, 2012

A Guide for Hospital Discharge Planning


I could not have ended this year with a better topic. Hospital discharge planning is not something to be ignored, but often it is, much to the detriment of the patient and their safety after being discharged. Therefore, if you are expecting to have this happen to you, or you are a caregiver for someone being discharged from a hospital, take time to read this and I mean really digest the contents. Then you can print out a copy to have with you to remind you of important points.

Not all hospitals are equal and some do very good at discharging patients. It is the hospitals that are not doing things properly that need to be challenged. The high points of this guide are:
1. What is discharge planning?
2. Why is good discharge planning so important?
3. The caregiver's role in the discharge process
4. Getting help at home
5. Discharge to a facility
6. Paying for care after discharge
7. What if you feel it's too early for discharge?
8. Improving the system
9. Conclusion

Below the conclusion is some information for caregivers. Some may seem overkill, but to make this adaptable for many people, this section needs to be large.

The other website that is so important is this one - http://www.nextstepincare.org./

Do not allow hospitals to discharge you without knowing your rights and procedures that hospitals need to follow to see that you receive the proper care after discharge.

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