Social work discharge planning in acute care hospitals in Israel: Clients' evaluation of the discharge planning process and adequacy

Objective: To examine the associations of patients' characteristics, hospitalization factors, and the patients' or family assessment of the discharge planning process, with their evaluation of adequacy of the discharge plan. Method: A prospective study. Social workers from 11 acute care hospitals in Israel provided data on 1426 discharged patients. At 2-week postdischarge, 407 patients and 659 family members evaluated the discharge planning process (information received, involvement, influence) and adequacy. Results: More family (77%) than patients (62%) assessed the discharge planning to be adequate. Discharge process variables contributed more than patient or hospitalization characteristics to evaluation of adequacy but had a negligible mediation effect. Factors significantly associated with higher adequacy of plans were: hospital ward, receiving information, high family involvement, and discharge destination among patients; receiving of information and high patient and family involvement among family respondents. Conclusions: Social workers should actively involve patients and family in discharge planning.