Discharge planning in Cape Breton Region: standardizing the process.

In the fall of 1991, Cape Breton's Regional Services Planning Office conducted an exploratory study of discharge planning within the region. The review compared the personnel involved in the discharge planning process and noted the strengths and weaknesses of the discharge procedures in the region's hospitals. The study recommended the development of a uniform discharge planning information tool and a common matrix for collecting discharge information for all the hospitals in the region. The recommendations were subsequently addressed by a utilization subcommittee established in February 1992. The results were the development of a regional discharge planning form, a guide for implementation and a suggested approach to improving hospital bed utilization within the region.