my unsafe discharge rant

[Guest guest]

I am sending this repeat rant for the newbies. It is sometimes useful to

know this:

> When anyone is in the hospital and the insurance people (or

> doctors) are eager to discharge the person, the caregiver (or the

> individual) should carefully assess that person's readiness to go

> home. Are they eating, drinking and eliminating normally? Is

> home care or support in place? Are they running a fever? Etc.

> You get the picture........

>

> If, in your honest opinion, the person is better served by staying

> in the hospital a bit longer, you can always challenge the

> discharge by saying that, in your opinion, this is an " unsafe

> discharge. " The discharge process should stop at that point and

> the patient should be carefully evaluated to ensure that it is

> indeed safe for them to be discharged. This is not a term to be

> used lightly. In fact, we never had to use it for me in any of my

> hospitalizations, but we did have to use it for my husband's

> mother. Even if the discharge goes forward, you may buy a few

> more hours of medical supervision and the hospital is on notice

> that you are concerned about the safety of their (and the

> insurer's) decision.

>

> Penny

>

>

[Guest guest]

And I USED your "unsafe discharge rant" last year at Thanksgiving time when was in the hospital. Do you remember? It worked quite well, and thank you very much.

Ami

Ami - Migraines, FMS

mom to - 9 yrs - Double Lung Tx 2/26/2006, PSC - Tx 7/16/2007, Diabetes, Hypothyroid, GERD, ADD, Osteopenia, Varices http://caringbridge.org/visit/seanfox

mom to Emma - 13 yrs - Migraines

stepmom to - 14 yrs - ADHD, ODD

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my "unsafe discharge" rant

I am sending this repeat rant for the newbies. It is sometimes useful to know this:> When anyone is in the hospital and the insurance people (or> doctors) are eager to discharge the person, the caregiver (or the> individual) should carefully assess that person's readiness to go> home. Are they eating, drinking and eliminating normally? Is> home care or support in place? Are they running a fever? Etc.> You get the picture..... ...>> If, in your honest opinion, the person is better served by staying> in the hospital a bit longer, you can always challenge the> discharge by saying that, in your opinion, this is an "unsafe> discharge." The discharge process should stop at that point and> the patient should be carefully evaluated to ensure that it is> indeed safe for them to be discharged. This is not a term to be> used lightly. In fact, we never had to

use it for me in any of my> hospitalizations, but we did have to use it for my husband's> mother. Even if the discharge goes forward, you may buy a few> more hours of medical supervision and the hospital is on notice> that you are concerned about the safety of their (and the> insurer's) decision.>> Penny>>

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