Hospital discharge planning
- Where you are
- What you need
- 3Your guidance
You've made it — here's the guidance for your situation.
Hospital discharge happens fast — sometimes faster than families are ready for. Understanding the process and knowing what questions to ask can prevent a bad situation from getting worse.
What you need to know
Hospitals are required to plan for discharge. Medicare patients receive a notice called the 'Important Message from Medicare.' If you believe discharge is premature, you can request a fast review from Medicare's Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO) — the contact is on that notice — no later than the planned discharge day.
The main discharge options
Home with in-home services: Physical therapy, home health aides, and nursing visits through a home health agency. Short-term skilled nursing/rehab: For recovery requiring more intensive therapy or medical monitoring. Adult family home or assisted living: If the hospitalization revealed ongoing care needs that weren't previously in place.
What to ask before discharge
What is the recommended next level of care and why? What services will be arranged, and who coordinates them? What are the warning signs to watch for at home? Is Medicare covering this, and for how long? Who do we call if something goes wrong after discharge?
If you're not ready
Say so. Ask for a care conference with the hospital social worker or discharge planner. You have more options than it may feel like in the moment.
Next step: the hospital's discharge planner or social worker is your first contact, and the site's housing and care guides explain each discharge option.
Find a ProfessionalYour next questions
The hospital says Mom can't go home. What now?
How discharge planning works, what to ask before a discharge date, and where a parent can go next.
What does Medicare cover after a hospital stay?
Short-term nursing home and rehab stays: the three-day rule, what Medicare pays, and what happens when coverage ends.
Adult family home, assisted living or nursing home?
How Washington's care settings differ, and which fits which needs.