Discharge Planning Demystified: Understanding CMS Best Practices and New Regulations for Hospitals and CAHs

Marketing and Empathy Psychology

By - Laura A. Dixon, BS, JD, RN, CPHRM

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Webinar Overview

Hospitals that accept Medicare and Medicaid must adhere to CMS discharge planning guidelines, which apply to all patients, not just those under Medicare or Medicaid. This webinar will cover the necessary policies and procedures required by CMS for discharge planning, explaining the importance and impact of these regulations.

The session will address the February 2020 updates to the discharge planning standards, focusing on the changes and their implications for hospitals, including the pending interpretive guidelines and survey procedures. Additionally, the Impact Act’s influence on discharge planning will be discussed, highlighting the requirements for standardized assessments, quality, and resource data. Hospitals must now support patients in arranging post-discharge care, offering information about home health, skilled nursing facilities, long-term care hospitals, and inpatient rehab facilities, except for CAHs.

Key areas covered include patient access to medical records, the discharge planning process, discharge instructions, and requirements. The session will also discuss transfers, readmission assessments within 30 days, caregiver rights, reduction of preventable readmissions, and timely discharge planning. Discharge planning requirements for Critical Access Hospitals will also be touched upon, as they align with acute hospital standards.

Learning Objectives

Understand the revised CMS discharge planning requirements for all hospitals and critical access hospitals.
Recognize the rights of patients and physicians to request a discharge planning evaluation.
Learn the necessity of providing hospitalization information to the physician or provider before the first post-hospital visit.
Understand patient rights to timely access to medical records and discharge plans.

Agenda

Introduction
Deficiency Data for Discharge Planning
Discharge Planning Process and the IMPACT Act
Identifying Patients in Need of Discharge Planning
Role of Support Persons
Considerations for Incapacitated Patients
Components of the Discharge Planning Process
- Evaluation by RN, Social Worker, or Qualified Individual
- Timely Conduct of Evaluations
- Discussion with Patient or Representative
- Documentation in Medical Records
- Development and Implementation of Discharge Plans
- Physician Requests for Discharge Planning
- Reassessment of Discharge Plans
Freedom of Choice for Post-Acute Care Providers
Transfer or Referral Processes
Critical Access Hospital Discharge Planning Requirements
Discharge Planning Metrics
Appendix and Resources
- Useful Resources and Internet Links

Who Should Attend

Discharge Planners
Transitional Care Nurses
Social Workers
Staff Nurses involved in Patient Discharge
Chief Nursing Officers
Nurse Educators
Chief Operating Officers
Chief Medical Officers
Physicians
Risk Managers
Regulatory/Compliance Officers
Utilization Review Nurses
Joint Commission Coordinators
Chief Executive Officers
Nurse Managers
Performance Improvement Directors
Health Information Directors
Patient Safety Officers
Committee Members involved in Redesigning the Discharge Process to Reduce Readmissions

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Webinar Type

Clear

Speaker Detail

Laura A. Dixon recently served as the Regional Director of Risk Management and Patient Safety for Kaiser Permanente Colorado where she provided consultation and resources to clinical staff. Prior to joining Kaiser, she served as the Director, Facility Patient Safety and Risk Management and Operations for COPIC from 2014 to 2020. In her role, Ms. Dixon provided patient safety and risk management consultation and training to facilities, practitioners, and staff in multiple states. Such services included creation of and presentations on risk management topics, assessment of healthcare facilities; and development of programs and compilation of reference materials that complement physician-oriented products. Ms. Dixon has more than twenty years of clinical experience in acute care facilities, including critical care, coronary care, peri-operative services, and pain management. Prior to joining COPIC, she served as the Director, Western Region, Patient Safety and Risk Management for The Doctors Company, Napa, California. In this capacity, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation to the physicians and staff for the western United States. Ms. Dixon’s legal experience includes medical malpractice insurance defense and representation of nurses before the Colorado Board of Nursing. As a registered nurse and attorney, Laura holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Regis University, RECEP of Denver, a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Drake University College of Law, Des Moines, Iowa, and a Registered Nurse Diploma from Saint Luke’s School Professional Nursing, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California.