Current status of discharge planning activities and systems: National survey of discharge planning in Japan

Abstract

Aim: We investigated the current situation of discharge planning in Japan and the variables related to the implementation of discharge planning. Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to 3268 general hospitals in 2001; 1359 hospitals were used as the subjects of analysis. Results: The majority of the hospitals experienced problems in terms of patients’ discharge (1313 or 96.6%). More than 90% of the hospitals described discharge planning activities. The most common professions involving discharge planning were ward nursing staff and physicians, and only 29.4% hospitals reported that a discharge planning department was established in their hospitals. More hospitals with these departments implemented almost all activities of discharge planning compared with hospitals without such departments. Implementation of discharge planning was also related to hospital size, affiliated institutions, implementation of home visits by medical staff, and nurse/patient ratios. Conclusion: This survey showed a high implementation rate of discharge planning activities but that departments for discharge planning have not been widely adopted. It is recommended that such departments should be established or that staff should be allocated to carry out discharge planning in order to assure the continuity of quality care for patients as they move among care settings.