Clinical

Principles for discharging patients from acute care: a scoping review of policy

Abstract

Background:

Acute medicine units (AMUs) are part of acute hospital care, where length of patient stay is short and turnover is high. Expediting patient discharge safely is a major function of AMUs, which need up-to-date bespoke guidance.

Aim:

To carry out a scoping review of UK discharge policy to critically consider, compare and contrast the relevant discharge policies and guidance that underpin the assessment of acute patient discharge.

Objectives:

To inform the production of bespoke patient discharge guidance for AMUs.

Design and stages:

Identify the review questions; identify relevant studies; select the studies; chart the data; collate, summarise and report the results.

Findings:

28 patient discharge policy guidelines were identified that had no specific guidance for patient discharge from AMUs. New bespoke principles for AMUs were created through a pragmatic interpretation of current relevant policies.

Conclusion:

There is a gap in specific patient discharge guidance for AMUs. New guidance should contribute in practice to improve patient discharge.

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10 November 2016Volume 25Issue 20

ISSN (print): 0966-0461
ISSN (online): 2052-2819

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History

Accepted 1 October 2016

Published online 11 November 2016

Published in print 10 November 2016

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