Discharge Planning in Acute Care Hospitals in Israel: Services Planned and Levels of Implementation and Adequacy

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the implementation, adequacy, and outcomes of discharge planning. The authors carried out a prospective study of 1,426 adult patients discharged from 11 acute care hospitals in Israel. Social workers provided detailed discharge plans on each patient. Telephone interviews were conducted two weeks post-discharge. Findings showed 40 percent of patients were referred to institutional care and 60 percent were sent home with plans to receive community services. At follow-up, the rates of implementation varied by planned services. Among patients referred to institutional care, 46 percent of those referred to nursing homes and 70 percent of those referred to rehabilitation facilities received the planned care. Of those discharged home, 65 percent received planned home attendant services and 59 percent received planned home health care. Implementation of institutional care was related to the patient's functional status and population group. Implementation of community and home services was related to age, gender, population group, and hospital department. These gaps in implementation of planned services have important policy implications. Discussion of the findings with the participating hospitals and national authorities resulted in plans to improve continuum of care.

Social Work Discharge Planning in Acute Care Hospitals in Israel: Clients’ Evaluation of the Discharge Planning Process and Adequacy

“…The current report presents only variables relevant for the purpose of the analysis of data from a more comprehensive study on outcomes of discharge planning that were obtained in the telephone interview (Auslander, Soskolne, Stanger, Ben-Shahar, & Kaplan, 2008). …”

“…The study used a combined cross-sectional and prospective design, with data collected from social workers' report at discharge and by telephone interview of patients or family at 2-week postdischarge. The current report presents only variables relevant for the purpose of the analysis of data from a more comprehensive study on outcomes of discharge planning that were obtained in the telephone interview (Auslander, Soskolne, Stanger, Ben-Shahar, & Kaplan, 2008).…”

Untitled

“…Their functions, related to giving information, advice, assessment, and providing help in administrative processing, make them a key piece for the development in ACP. Hence, they must design and channel action protocols that redirect these benefits to the Social Work units in Health Care [28,29].…”

Defining ready for discharge from sub-acute care: a qualitative exploration from multiple stakeholder perspectives

“…An ageing population and an increase in co-morbidities have led to an increased demand on public hospitals [ 1 ], moving non-essential care, once offered to inpatients while in hospital, to the community [ 2 ]. Effective discharge from hospital has been shown to increase quality of life for patients as well as preventing costly hospital readmissions [ 3 ].…”