Not every patient has a home to return to after hospitalization. Others may have a home, but are not yet ready for standard outpatient psychiatric care. One goal of the care team is to carefully consider where the patient will be going after they leave the hospital. This includes not only where they will live, but also where they will see their future care providers.
In an upcoming series, I'll spend more time reviewing the different types of care centers available when a patient is ready to be discharged to a lower level of care. However, in brief, here are some post-hospitalization discharge options:
Residential Programs
Partial Hospitalization Programs
Intensive Outpatient Programs
Additionally, the team may need to consider helping to arrange housing at the following types of facilities:
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Continuing Care Facilities
Residential Treatment Facilities
Residential Board and Care Facilities
Shelters
Sober Livings
Key factors that go into helping to determine whether a patient may need to be discharged to something other than standard outpatient care include:
How much support do they have outside of the hospital?
How often do they need to see a psychiatrist?
How often do they need to see a therapist?
Do they need help with obtaining food, shelter, and clothing?
Do they have any other medical needs that will also need consistent support after discharge from the hospital?
During daily rounds, a patient's team will start conversations about whether discharge directly home is recommended. If it is not, they will also take some time to discuss the pros and cons of the alternative suggestions. Additionally, they will review how discharge options may be effective by the patient's insurance coverage. By working to ensure a patient will have a supportive, safe, and effective location to go to after discharge from the hospital, these daily discharge planning conversations also increase the chances that the patient will continue to improve after they leave the hospital.
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