Planning for Your Hospital Discharge
Discharge Planning
Discharge planning is how we help you move safely from the hospital back home or to another setting. Planning begins at admission. Your doctor, nurse, social worker and case manager work with you and your loved ones to make a safe plan for when your doctor says you are medically ready to leave the hospital. For planned admissions requiring rehabilitation services following discharge, please have your preferred facility identified prior to admission.
A Good Plan for Leaving the Hospital:
- Begins as soon as you arrive
- Lessens your chance of having to come back to the hospital
- Encourages you to take part in your own care
- Helps you continue to heal after discharge
- Includes an after care plan with your primary care provider
- Involves our Post-Discharge Clinic if transitional care is needed in-between discharge and your next primary care visit
What You Need to Know About Facility Placements
If you need rehabilitation services before going home, we will help you make those arrangements. We do our best to find a place you like, but please note, your placement options may be limited by your insurance or bed availability.
We have established relationships with a network of preferred providers to assist in your selection process. Ask us about our Post Acute Care Network of preferred facility providers.
You will be discharged from the hospital when your medical provider determines you are safe to transition to the next level of care at home or another facility.
What You Need to Know About Leaving the Hospital
Please ask if you are not sure what day you may be leaving.
Your care team will talk with you early in your stay about your possible discharge date. This date may change, but your health care team will continue to work with you and your family to ensure you are ready.
We plan your discharge so you are in the hospital only as long as needed. You will be able to leave when hospital care is no longer needed. It is important to know that you may not feel fully healed. It is normal for some healing to continue after you leave the hospital.
Discharge is often before 12 p.m., but can happen any time of day or evening. We can assist with transportation arrangements, if needed.
