Progress in Systematization of Discharge Planning in Medical Institution in Japan

We made a random sampling survey of medical institutions in Japan on progress in systematization of discharge planning. The results indicated that only 20% of the medical institutes surveyed had a discharge planning specialist. For the purpose of promoting the quality of care in the future, Japanese medical institutions had to tackle problems associated with systemization of discharge planning, setting-up of discharge planning specialists and department of discharge planning, planning and correcting discharge plan with patients and their family, disclosure of information on social resources, servicing of effective screening, monitoring and follow-up, reconsideration of the outpatient system, setting-up and amelioration of home nursing care services, and strengthening the collaboration with related facilities.