Hospital Admission and Discharge: A Comprehensive Guide
Hospital Admission and Discharge FAQs
SADC Structure and Functions
Multidisciplinary Approach
The SADC (Hospital Admission, Discharge, and Transfer Service) adopts a multidisciplinary approach, involving various professionals such as doctors, nurses, technicians, and administrative staff to ensure comprehensive patient care.
Generic Work of SADC DUES
SADC DUES (Units of Admission, Discharge, and Transfer) are responsible for managing and coordinating patient care activities with the nursing division.
SADC Coverage Time
The SADC operates 24/7, 365 days a year, to provide continuous patient support.
Role of Social Workers
Social workers within the SADC facilitate information exchange and socio-health coordination between patients, services, and support agencies.
Customer Service Reports
Doctors are responsible for monitoring and addressing customer service reports.
Role of Guards
Guards in the SADC handle the dissemination, delivery, and collection of clinical records and administrative documents related to patient management.
Hospital Bed Types
Types of Hospital Beds
Hospital beds can be categorized as inpatient, installed, operational, and capacity beds.
Non-Hospital Beds
Beds used for observation in the emergency department, day hospital, escorts, and dialysis center staff are not considered hospital beds.
Installed Beds
Installed beds refer to the total number of beds available in the hospital, regardless of their working condition.
Capacity Beds
Capacity beds are those assigned to admitted patients and allocated to a specific service and nursing unit ward. These beds are not considered part of the hospital’s fixed endowment.
Hospital Discharge
Hospital vs. Service/Section Discharge
Discharge from a service or section within the hospital does not necessarily imply leaving the hospital premises.
Hospital Stay
Hospital stay refers to the duration a patient occupies a hospital bed, typically measured in 24-hour periods.
Surgery and Operating Rooms
Surgery Definition
Surgery encompasses any medical procedure performed within designated operating rooms.
Surgical Session
A surgical session refers to a scheduled operation during regular working hours, typically from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM (7 hours).
Preoperative Stay
Preoperative stay is the time between the scheduled surgery date and the patient’s admission date to the hospital.
Hospitalization Area
Importance of Hospitalization Area
The hospitalization area is the core of hospital activity, utilizing the majority of hospital resources.
Utilization Review Protocols
Utilization review protocols assess the number of admitted patients and their length of stay.
Patient Management Processes
Key processes for managing hospitalized patients include admission authorization, bed allocation, admission administration, stay maintenance, discharge authorization, and discharge administration.
Admission Administration
Admission administration involves capturing and documenting patient information and admission circumstances.
SADC Resources for Patient Management
The SADC utilizes a bed master file, situation planning tools, patient census data, and admission/discharge registers to manage hospitalized patients.
Patient Census
The patient census is a record of the number of patients hospitalized at a specific time, accounting for admissions, transfers, and discharges since the previous census.
Admission Authorization Criteria
Admission authorization is based on administrative, organizational, and clinical criteria.
Hospitalization Area Resources
Essential resources in the hospitalization area include personnel, organizational structure, computing systems, and communication tools.
Hospital Bed Allocation Criteria
Hospital bed allocation considers factors such as final service allocation, perceived demand, and care level requirements.
Advantages of Bed Allocation by Service
Allocating beds by service facilitates daily organization, ensures appropriate nursing care, limits patient numbers, and promotes service accountability for bed utilization.
Reasons for Hospitalization
Hospitalization is primarily driven by medical necessity, with the bed serving as a crucial resource for prolonged treatment and patient recovery.
Hospitalization Scenarios
Various scenarios influence hospitalization, including admission and discharge offers, hometown health considerations, discharge destinations, and economic factors related to admission.
Responsibility for Patient Management
The optional physician ultimately oversees the management of admitted patients.
Data Management Responsibilities
Administrative staff handle the tasks of registering and maintaining patient data.