The purpose of the policy is to define guidelines for use of the discharge waiting area.

1. Discharged patients who are awaiting rides will wait in the discharge waiting area unit until their transportation arrives.
2. The area is designed to provide discharged patients a comfortable, quiet area in which they may watch TV, talk on the phone or review discharge plans with staff.
3. The unit is staffed with an experienced psychiatric technician.
4. The area will be open at 11:00am Monday-Friday for adult patients.
5. The hospital goal is to discharge patients before noon.

1. Discharge order is written by MD.
2. Discharge order prints in patient registration
3. Unit calls front desk before 11am to notify them of need to collect belongings.
4. Adult unit staff members escort their discharged patients to cashier’s office where belongings are returned and signed for and patient is discharged from the computer.
5. Patient is logged in to discharge area with patient name, unit, expected departure time and who is picking up patient.
6. Patient’s discharge meds are stored in secure area/Patient belongings are labeled and placed in secure area.
7. Front desk calls discharge area when ride arrives. At that time, staff gives patient their belongings, discharge medication and escorts them to lobby.
8. If patient is not picked up by 3pm, the social service clinician for the patient is paged. Alternative transportation may be offered at that time.
9. Patients may arrive to discharge area with aspects of discharge instruction pending. In these cases, clinician may visit with patient in the discharge area and provide the needed discharge instruction. The conversation with the patient will take place in a private area so that the instruction is not overheard by other patients.
10. If at any time patient has a question about discharge disposition, the assigned social service clinician will be contacted.