Simulation of patient discharge process and its improvement

This paper presents results of a study conducted jointly with a regional hospital and concerned with inpatient discharge process. In an effort to see what the hospital can do to reduce alternative level of care (ALC) days (or length of stay, LOS), a simulation model of the discharge planning path was created and validated. The model was used to explore the effects of standardizing parts of the discharge process. The results showed a potential for 4.5 day reduction in the median of LOS. Obtained results indicate that organizational changes (e.g., early involvement of social workers, improved information flow, close collaboration with external facilities accepting patients, etc.) will lead to process improvement and substantial economic benefits.