When patients go home after receiving treatment at a healthcare facility, hospital staff often provide them with a detailed plan outlining their recovery after their departure. This is known as hospital discharge planning, and it’s also used for patients who have received treatments for mental health problems, addictions, and other serious issues. Discharge planning is important for a variety of reasons, so let’s review what it can encompass and the benefits it offers patients.
Creating a Smooth Transition
Discharge planning, in a way, is a part of a patient’s transition back to their daily life following their treatment program. The discharge planning process involves collaboration between the discharge planner, other healthcare providers, and the patient’s family members to create a comprehensive discharge plan.
This plan includes discharge instructions that outline the patient’s care post-discharge, ensuring they understand the steps needed to maintain their health status. By addressing the patient’s medical condition, including any need for home health services or outpatient care, discharge planning reduces the risk of adverse health consequences and promotes long-term well-being.
Developing a Personalized Plan
Unlike medical prescriptions, discharge plans aren’t prescribed by healthcare professionals — instead, the patient is directly involved in the creation of their discharge plan. Mental health and addiction affect everyone differently, which is why it’s only natural for discharge plans to reflect the unique needs of the individual.
Discharge planning evaluation involves a thorough review of the patient’s medical record and the progress they’ve made during their recovery. This summary not only gives patients a review of their treatment but also provides insight to any future healthcare professionals, social workers, and other healthcare experts they meet.
Good discharge planning ensures that a patient’s post-discharge care is tailored to their particular needs. This personalized approach supports the patient’s recovery and reintegration into daily life.
Deterring Relapses in Behavior
Conquering harmful behavior and mentalities are key aspects of intensive outpatient treatment programs. However, if a patient isn’t careful, they may accidentally relapse. As such, one of the biggest advantages of discharge planning and a major reason why it’s so important is that it helps prevent these relapses.
The discharge plan can include strategies and resources aimed at preventing relapses, such as connecting patients with a variety of post-discharge services like support groups. Health professionals involved in the discharge process work together to ensure that the patient has access to the necessary support needed to return to their life following their intensive outpatient treatment program. By maintaining continuity of care and addressing potential triggers, discharge planning helps patients avoid setbacks and continue to walk their roads to recovery.
Follow-Up Care
Discharge planning is an effective way of increasing the chances a patient receives follow-up outpatient care. Mental health professionals can coordinate with other healthcare providers to arrange for continued care, which can include future appointments, medications, and necessary post-discharge services.
The discharge planning process ensures that patients and their family members are well-informed about the patient’s care. This comprehensive approach helps maintain the patient’s health and equips them with the resources they need to recover.
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At Solstice Counseling & Wellness Center, we’re home to counselors, clinicians, and other appropriately qualified personnel who stand ready to help patients overcome their mental health and addiction struggles. We offer a variety of outpatient treatment programs to ensure that all of our clients can experience individualized, goal-driven treatment. Get in touch today to learn more and to start speaking with our team.
- Smith, Thomas E et al. “The Effectiveness of Discharge Planning for Psychiatric Inpatients With Varying Levels of Preadmission Engagement in Care.” Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) vol. 73,2 (2022): 149-157. doi:10.1176/appi.ps.202000863