Bridges and Barriers: Patients' Perceptions of the Discharge Process Including Multidisciplinary Rounds on a Trauma...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Experience
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Discharge planning is a critical but complex healthcare process.
• Limited research exists on patient perspectives during hospital discharge.
• Patient readiness for discharge significantly impacts health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore patient viewpoints on the hospital discharge process.
• To identify patient-identified facilitators and obstacles to discharge.
• To understand the role of multidisciplinary rounds from the patient's perspective.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study exploring patient experiences with discharge planning.
• Data collected on patient-identified "bridges and barriers" to discharge.
• Analysis focused on themes related to communication, support, and process.

Main Results:

• Key facilitators included clear timelines, effective communication, social support, and patient motivation.
• Significant barriers were medical setbacks, insurance limitations, and inconsistent communication.
• Multidisciplinary rounds were perceived differently by patients based on communication clarity.

Conclusions:

• Patient perspectives offer valuable insights into optimizing discharge planning.
• Addressing identified barriers like insurance and communication is vital for improving patient discharge readiness.
• Further research should investigate diverse discharge models and enhance communication strategies throughout hospitalization.