Caregiver perceptions of the reasons for delayed hospital discharge.
BACKGROUND
Financial pressures have increased the emphasis on expeditious hospital discharge. Identification of barriers to timely discharge may help direct efforts to decrease unnecessary hospital days.


OBJECTIVE
To identify caregivers' perceptions of reasons for discharge delays at an academic medical center.


METHODS
Survey and free-form written responses using a convenience sample (overall response rate, 68%).


METHODS
104 housestaff, 34 attending physicians, and 33 nurses.


RESULTS
Nurses were much more likely than housestaff or attending physicians to cite inadequate communication as a reason for discharge delays. Nurses were also more likely to attribute delays to rounds and other conferences (48% vs. 22% and 9%, respectively; P = 0.05). Physicians, however, were more likely to cite delays in testing and availability of subacute care beds. Almost all housestaff and attendings thought that discharge decisions were generally made in the morning, and over 60% felt that discharge orders were usually written before noon. In contrast, none of the nurses thought that orders were usually written before noon.


CONCLUSIONS
Caregivers at the same institution perceived different barriers to discharge and believed that discharge-related activities occurred at different times. To facilitate hospital discharge, communication gaps should be addressed and traditional morning routines should be reexamined.
Minichiello
T M
TM
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94115, USA. minichie@medicine.ucsf.edu
Auerbach
A D
AD
Wachter
R M
RM
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002140:California; D003142:Communication; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors