Utilizing the IDEAL discharge process to prevent 30-day readmissions.

D ischarge planning and transition-of-care processes greatly influence 30-day hospital readmissions.1 Transition of care from the hospital to the home can be confusing, disorganized, fragmented, and frustrating for nurses, patients, and families. Patients require varying levels of care that must be identified before discharge. Failure to properly address patients’ needs places them at high risk for readmission within 30 days of discharge.2 Postacute inpatient rehabilitation facilities function as an interdisciplinary team that requires a systematic approach to transitioning patients from one level of care to another. Healthcare organizations and the federal government are pushing to reduce and prevent readmissions, which can result in higher costs and serve as an indicator of care quality.3 One in five Medicare patients readmits to a hospital within 30 days of discharge.4 This readmission rate is multifaceted and influenced by comorbidities, Care transitions Safety Solutions