March 30, 2001

It may not be as easy as clicking ruby slippers together like Dorothy did in "The Wizard of Oz," but the MGH's "There's No Place Like Home" program will help patients get out of the hospital and back in their own homes as soon as medically possible. The goal of the program, which is scheduled to begin in April, is to plan for patients' discharge as soon as they are admitted, to avoid any delays that keep them in the hospital longer.

After admission, patients will be given guidelines for activities that will help ensure a timely discharge. A target discharge time of 10 am on the release day is set for every patient, unless his or her medical needs require a longer stay.

"With this new program, it is the responsibility of the entire health care team to plan for our patients' timely discharge," says Jeanette Ives Erickson, RN, MS, senior vice president for MGH Patient Care Services and chief nurse. "The goal of the program is to ensure that patients' discharge from the hospital occurs as soon as the plan of care and health care team determine it's appropriate. We ask the cooperation of all caregivers to enforce the 10 am target discharge time for all patients."

Because of the hospital's higher-than-usual occupancy rate, MGH leadership has been looking for opportunities to increase patient access while decreasing length of stay. The MGH Capacity Management Team identified discharge planning as a way to help solve capacity issues.

According to a recent study, patients' discharge times frequently are delayed by such factors as waiting for test results and problems with transportation. By planning for discharge when a patient is admitted, these delays often can be avoided.

For more information about the program, call (617) 726-3100.