Involuntary Patient Discharge
Back to: Patient Challenges
- Federal Guidelines on Discharging Patients - Conditions for Coverage of ESRD Services, Section 405.2138 [PDF, 140 KB]
- TRN Position Statement on Involuntary Discharge [PDF, 207 KB]
- Network Notification Process [PDF, 24 KB]
- Alternative Solutions [PDF, 336 KB]
Network Participates in Involuntary Patient Discharge Survey
The involuntarily discharge of patients is a growing concern that has received increased national attention. To assess its prevalence twelve of the ESRD networks participated in an Involuntary Patient Discharge Survey.
The objectives of the survey were to: (1) determine the number of patients that have been involuntarily discharged within a network; (2) gain an understanding of the reasons patients are being discharged from the dialysis clinic setting; (3) gain a better understanding of the characteristics (age, race, gender, ethnicity, principle of diagnosis, duration, modality, setting) of the discharged patient population; and (4) identify the placement outcome for the discharged patient.
In December 2002 each of the participating networks asked all of their facilities to complete the Involuntary Discharged Patient Survey form.
Completed forms were to be returned during January 2003. All information was strictly confidential.
A total of 3,149 surveys were sent out by participating networks with 2,960 surveys returned constituting a 94% return rate overall.
The Renal Network sent out a total of 497 surveys (328 in Network 9; 169 in Network 10). Overall, 399 or 80% of our facilities responded to the survey. Network 9 realized a 78% response rate with 255 returns and Network 10 achieved an 85% response rate with 144 returns.
Only 50 or 12.5% of Network facilities responding reported having involuntarily discharged a patient (35 in Network 9; 15 in Network 10). A total of 70 patients received involuntary discharges (49 in Network 9; 21 in Network 10).