Discharge Criteria Key Clinical Questions
05. What are the discharge instructions used by hospitals for patients and caregivers?
a. HOMERuN institutions
Most hospitals have created brochures, automated insertion of text into discharge instructions, and other ways to ensure standardization on content including: 1) COVID-19 general information such as testing, home isolation duration, travel restrictions, and social distancing; 2) what signs and symptoms to watch for and what to do/who to contact if they occur; and 3) use of personal protective equipment. Additionally, several sites referred directly to the CDC website or to their state’s department of public health.
b. What is Known
Several sites have created detailed instructions that could serve as a model for others, including OHSU, NewYork–Presbyterian, and Northwestern, which has useful links to several CDC instruction guides, such as Discontinuation of Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in Healthcare Settings and Interim Guidance for Implementing Home Care of People Not Requiring Hospitalization for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).