A Discharge Planner's Tech Checklist
What to send home with patients to reduce 30-day readmission risk — and how to document it.
Most 30-day readmissions in our geriatric population trace back to three failures: medication confusion, missed vital-sign trends, and falls in the first 14 days post-discharge. The right home tech addresses all three.
Before discharge
Confirm the patient (or family) has: (a) a working blood pressure monitor at home with phone sync, (b) a medication management plan that doesn't rely on memory, and (c) a wearable or pendant for fall detection.
Document what you sent home
Include device names in the discharge summary. Primary care needs to know what data they'll be looking at on follow-up, and family members need a written record of what to set up.
James is a care coordinator at a 400-bed hospital in the Midwest, focused on geriatric discharge planning and post-acute follow-up.
