Discharge planning: an examination of the perceptions and recommendations for improved discharge planning at the Montreal General Hospital.

Hospital discharge planning is an interdisciplinary hospital-wide process that assists patients and their families to develop a feasible post-hospital plan of care. In order to facilitate an effective, smooth and rapid discharge plan for patients, health care professionals involved in discharge planning must be aware of problems and current gaps in service delivery. In order to identify and address problems and service gaps in an acute care trauma centre, the Social Work Department of the Montreal General Hospital conducted a survey of 81 clinicians via a questionnaire and interviewed 15 managers and administrators as to their perceptions and recommendations of the discharge planning process in their hospital. Internal, external and psychosocial factors were examined and three categories of discharge impediments emerged: systems, resources and patient/family issues. Recommendations for improving the discharge planning process are discussed.