Keep in mind that all unplanned, abandoned or poorly coordinated discharges from hospitals are very dangerous! A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that every fifth Medicare patient returns to the hospital within 30 days. Every third person returns within 90 days. The author suggests that many of these problems are associated with inadequate care coordination and poor payment planning.
Why is this happening
Planning for unloading is not always the attention and attention needed for a smooth transition from the hospital. All patients should receive detailed care instructions in their language and health literacy level. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.
The hospital staff is under heavy pressure to free you as soon as you can. Health care workers came up with the term “faster and worse” when they describe how patients are now discharged from hospitals. As a direct result of such early hospital discharge:
· 41% of patients are discharged with test results that have not yet been found.
· 13% of these tests are urgent.
Worse, at the time of discharge, half of the adults do not understand their prescriptions or instructions for dismissal. In addition, less than half of patients know their diagnosis, treatment plan, or side effects of prescribed medications.
The results of poorly coordinated care during discharge from hospital can threaten your health and safety. Here is my recommendation; Do not let this happen to you or a loved one.
Take an active role in your payment plan.
You must insist on a well-planned and coordinated discharge plan from the hospital. At the very least, make sure that:
1. Get the necessary education about the condition that brought you to the hospital. Take full advantage of the experience of the hospital staff. Ask as many questions as you need to get a complete picture of your condition, diagnosis, and treatment plan. Also ask for written information.
2. Consult a hospital pharmacist to review all of your medications for discharge. Be sure to discuss any changes, additions, or deletions of medications that you took before your hospitalization began. This process is called “Medication Approval” and is important for safe discharge. It was found that between 20 and 30% of all re-admissions within 30 days are a direct result of problems with medications.
3. Find out when you need to monitor a medical team, such as a primary care physician, surgeon, or specialist. This is crucial because a well-coordinated payment plan will include timely follow-up.
4. Make sure your primary care doctor gets copies of your list of medication and instructions for drinking. Take your copy with you for the next meeting.
These are just a few of the items that should be on your official discharge plan. Remember, this can happen if you do not ask for it. You will increase the likelihood of a safe reset when you are an active participant in discharge planning.
