What To Know Before a Hospital Discharge

By Shannon Quinn, Marketing & Sales Counselor

Spring Hills Mount Vernon

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What To Know Before a Hospital Discharge

When loved ones are discharged from the hospital following a stroke or other illness, you are given options. It’s important to fully understand what the different levels of care meant. You need to choose which one best fit your needs. Knowing the different options and basic requirements listed below is a great place to start. How to choose one depends on whether you fit their requirement for admissions.

In Patient Acute Rehabilitation Hospital it is helpful to request a nursing assessment to see if you meet their requirements. Focus can be strictly therapy. In most cases you must be able to participate in three hours of therapy per day. Admission requirements are limited to specific diagnosis or illness. Physician managed.

Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Facilities (SNF’s) also known as sub-acute Medicare, requires “three consecutive qualified midnights” prior to admission (other plans may not require this). Requires physicians order for admission. Nurse managed (RN).

also referred to as “home health care” provides licensed clinical staff for nursing and therapy in your home, when you are considered “homebound” as determined by your physician using Medicare’s guidelines. The guidelines include when leaving your home isn’t recommended because of your condition, your condition keeps you from leaving home without help (such as using a wheelchair or walker, needing special transportation, or getting help from another person), or leaving home takes a considerable and taxing effort. For more information on Medicare standards, visit http://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/10969.pdf.

Home Care – private pay only and non-skilled. Some long term care policies will reimburse a portion of what you pay. These agencies provide services for non-medical needs such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, errands and companionship. You can choose these services in addition to home health but it is not paid for by Medicare.

(for specific life threatening diagnosis) A comfort care approach for terminally ill patients. According to Medicare, only your regular doctor not a nurse practitioner that you’ve chosen to serve as your attending medical professional and the hospice medical director can certify that you’re terminally ill and have six months or less to live. For more information on that from Medicare, visit http://www.medicare.gov/what-medicare-covers/part-a/how-hospice-works.html

When you are considering any level of care, you must know your insurance coverage. You should request an authorization for benefits be completed by any facility or agency so you know what your out of pocket expenses such as coinsurance and deductibles are. Be sure the facility or agency is an “in network provider”.