Hospital Discharge Planning Guidelines for Identifying and Referring Patients Requiring Services After Hospitalization.

摘要

Guidelines are provided for patients being discharged from hospitals, and recommendations are made for assisting the patient in obtaining appropriate services following hospitalization. Planning for the continuity of the patient, particularly in terms of physical rehabilitation, is addressed. This includes identification of potential patients for rehabilitation programs, some social and economic considerations, selection of an appropriate facility, and referral to a rehabilitation program. Home health care is discussed, including: identification of potential candidates for home care, the availability of home care resources, referral, and the appropriateness of home care. For patients requiring long term institutional care, the following subjects are considered: potential candidates, level of care needed, financing, selecting the appropriate facility, referral, preparing the family and patient, and transfer. Aspects of maternal and infant care that are discussed include: normal mother and infant, mothers with physical health problems, mothers with emotional or psychological health problems, problems affecting the well-being of mother and infant, and situations when the child needs to be placed outside the natural home. Other patient categories which are addressed are child care and the aged. Voluntary health organizations are discussed in terms of disease categories.