Discharge Planning

At the earliest opportunity, you and your health care team will begin planning for your discharge.

Most patients return home when they are discharged.

• Please inform your health care team of any special needs you may have when you go home. (eg. Community Care Access Centre, Victorian Order of Nurses, travel grant, previous services, visiting nurse, physiotherapy, home oxygen etc.)

• Any prescriptions and follow-up appointments will be given on the day of your discharge.

• Please arrange for transportation home once the doctor has given you a discharge date. You must notify the nursing staff if you are unable to make arrangements.

If you need more care, your health care team will work together with you and community partners to plan for an appropriate discharge. This will ensure that your health care needs can be met when you leave the hospital.

Some patients require short term or continuous care after discharge. For those patients there are several options they and their health care team will consider, such as transfer to:

1. an assisted living accommodation or retirement home;
2. a long-term care home; or
3. a complex continuing care or rehabilitation facility

If you require long term care placement from hospital, you with the assistance of your health care team will apply to one preferred facility for permanent residence and two facilities which have short waiting lists where you can wait on a temporary basis for your preferred choice.

For more information a Social Worker is available to discuss your options.

All Ontario hospitals must promptly discharge patients who no longer require their care. When the patient is deemed ready for discharge, the patient shall be required to leave. This ensures that medical services and beds are available for those in greatest need of acute care. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has specified that when a discharged patient refuses to leave a hospital, the hospital stay becomes uninsured. The hospital will then charge the patient a per diem rate.