ABSTRACT
Discharge planning services have become very important to older adults who are subject to shortened hospital stays due to the prospective payment form of reimbursement based on diagnostic related groups (DRGs). A study of older adults discharged from three acute care hospitals in New York City shows a direct association between patients’ satisfaction with their discharge plan and the number of services arranged by discharge planners. Patients told, “your DRGs are up” as the reason for their discharge, needed the greatest amount of help with activities of daily living. Implications for social workers offering discharge planning services are addressed.
