On September 29, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that aims to empower patients to make informed decisions about their care as they are discharged from acute care into post-acute care (PAC), a process called “discharge planning.”  In addition to improving quality by improving these care transitions, the rule attempts to support CMS’ interoperability efforts by promoting the seamless exchange of patient information between health care settings and ensuring that a patient’s health care information follows them after discharge from a hospital or PAC provider.

The final rule revises hospital discharge planning requirements for long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, inpatient psychiatric facilities, children’s hospitals, cancer hospitals, (IRFs), critical access hospitals (CAHs), and home health agencies (HHAs). Each of these facilities must meet these requirements as a condition to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.  Among other things, it requires the discharge planning process to focus on the patient’s goals of care and treatment preferences.  In addition, the final rule revises the hospital patient’s rights and the facility’s requirements regarding a patient’s access to their medical records.

Under the final rule, hospitals, CAHs, and HHAs would be required to create:

On September 29, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that aims to empower patients to make informed decisions about their care as they are discharged from acute care into post-acute care (PAC), a process called “discharge planning.”  In addition to improving quality by improving these care transitions, the rule attempts to support CMS’ interoperability efforts by promoting the seamless exchange of patient information between health care settings and ensuring that a patient’s health care information follows them after discharge from a hospital or PAC provider.

The final rule revises hospital discharge planning requirements for long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, inpatient psychiatric facilities, children’s hospitals, cancer hospitals, (IRFs), critical access hospitals (CAHs), and home health agencies (HHAs). Each of these facilities must meet these requirements as a condition to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs.  Among other things, it requires the discharge planning process to focus on the patient’s goals of care and treatment preferences.  In addition, the final rule revises the hospital patient’s rights and the facility’s requirements regarding a patient’s access to their medical records.

Under the final rule, hospitals, CAHs, and HHAs would be required to create:

Read the final rule here.

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