For Hospitals and Families – The Discharge Process Can Be Challenging

For most of us, illnesses and injuries do not follow a 9-5 Monday through Friday schedule. On any given holiday, or Friday night, many families are facing the prospect of having a family member return home from the hospital, sometimes to an environment that isn’t ready to support them.

Recently, Feinberg Consulting was called in to assist with a discharge order that came in at 2 pm on Good Friday. The call for help came from a woman seeking assistance because the timing of the discharge would be putting the family and her mother (the patient who we will call Sue) in a vulnerable position and the hospital didn’t know the entire story.

After 3 days in the hospital, Sue (who is in her 90s with congestive heart failure) had been medically cleared for discharge. Unfortunately, Sue’s only local caregiver, her daughter, was bedridden with the flu. The daughter was in no position to care for her Mom, nor was it a good environment for her mother to recover in. The daughter called us for help.

We intervened. A Nurse Care Manager and Social Work Care Manager immediately contacted and drove to, the hospital to consult with the hospital discharge planner. Speaking professional to professional and having us as a sounding board the discharge planner was able to grasp the full picture and reverse the original orders for discharge. The family was relieved that they were now being heard and would have time to prepare and recover. The intervention also helped the hospital avoid a potential re-admission and more importantly avoided any complications for Sue.

Often times, the discharge process can be scary, mistimed, and questions can arise upon returning home. Having an advocate with years of experience to help with the transition can make sure that the process goes as smoothly as possible.

We know how stressful it can be and Feinberg Consulting can be there for your family, especially when it feels like things are starting to become difficult or when a crisis is already occurring.

Give us a call. We’re here to help: 877.538.5425.