Discharge Planning is a Family Affair
“Good news, Mr. A. You can go home tomorrow!” For most hospital patients and their families, being discharged from the hospital is good news. Yet this announcement often means a new set of challenges to consider. Ideally the decisions and needs will have been discussed before the day of discharge.
This webinar will describe hospital discharge planning—who does it, what it’s intended to accomplish, and what a family caregiver should know to be fully prepared for the transition, whether a patient goes home, with or without formal home care, or to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) for short-term rehab or further care.
Topics for the webinar include typical family caregiver’s roles in discharge planning, a hospital’s obligation to patients and families to inform and educate about hospital discharge and post-discharge care instructions (as mandated in state CARE Acts—known in California as the California Hospital and Family Caregiver Law), and new research from the United Hospital Fund on choosing a post-acute care setting when going home is not feasible. The webinar will guide viewers through the key steps and offer time for questions and answers.
Objectives:
- Discuss why discharge planning is important and why family caregivers should be involved in decisions
- Describe important features of good discharge planning
- Outline the roles and responsibilities of various hospital and community-based agency staff
- Learn who can help when problems arise