Discharge Planning in the Emergency Department: A Comprehensive Approach

Abstract

Discharge planning has become increasingly important, with current trends toward shorter hospital stays, increased health care costs, and more community-based health services. Effective discharge planning ensures the safety and ongoing care for patients, 1 Birmingham J Discharge planning: a collaboration between provider and payer case managers using Medicare’s Conditions of Participation. Lippincotts Case Manag. 2004; 9: 147-151 Crossref PubMed Scopus (13) Google Scholar and it also benefits health care providers and organizations. It results in shorter hospital stays, fewer readmissions, higher access rates to post-hospitalization services, greater patient satisfaction with the discharge, and improved quality of life and continuity of care. 2 Moss JE Flower CL Houghton LM Moss DL Nielsen DA Taylor DM A multidisciplinary care coordination team improves emergency department discharge planning practice. Med J Aust. 2002; 177: 435-439 PubMed Google Scholar , 3 Bull MJ Discharge planning for older people: a review of current research. Br J Community Nurs. 2000; 5: 70-74 PubMed Google Scholar Chin-Yen Han is PhD Student, Queensland University of Technology, Australia, and Assistant Professor, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China. Alan Barnard is Senior Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. Helen Chapman is Lecturer, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.