Quote:
Originally Posted by fw102807
The problem is that they are so inefficient at discharging people. My husband was admitted last year for a cardiac stent. He was cleared to leave the following morning by his cardiologist but had to wait all day to be discharged by the admitting physician.
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Please understand that it is not an efficiency problem. It is a process. Many of the physicians will explain to patients (when they have the time) that just because he/she says you can go home, it does not mean that getting there will be quick.
That doctor will have to see the remainder of his/her patients on that floor, go to the desk and write up all orders, many of which may or may not be dismissals. They do them all at once, not one at a time. This has to occur with
any and all doctors who are or have been involved in your care. All doctors do not make rounds at the same time and some have patients on more than one floor or section, which means that your floor may be the last one they get to. Some may have already "dismissed" you from their care, but not from the hospital. It just means that there is no need for them to be involved any longer. Once this is done, the nurse has to prepare the paperwork, sometimes requiring that nurse to call and arrange any followup appointments if requested by the doctor to do so; that just depends on how each individual doctor handles dismissals. Any and all IV's must be removed (if not already out), telemetry monitors removed, and you have to go over the paperwork with your nurse and then sign it. Meanwhile, that same nurse will also have some new admits coming to the floor which can require that he/she drop everything else and do what has to be done with/for them. In the midst of all this, some patients who are neither being dismissed nor admitted, will press their call buttons for numerous reasons and those must be addressed. Dismissals go to the bottom of the priority list. When all is said and done, then someone has to be called to transport you to your vehicle for your ride home. Depending on the number leaving at the same time, this can also take a little while.
With hospitals at capacity and so many having to wait hours to be admitted, they do their very best to get patients ready for dismissal as quickly as possible. They understand the urgency of getting patients out of the ER, Cath Lab, Surgery, etc. for care. They also understand that once you have been told by so much as one doctor, you are ready! Even when patients do leave, all the cleaning and preparation has to be done before others can be brought to the floor and room.
Just remember, home is not going anywhere. It is still there, awaiting your return along with any pets you may have. They are just as anxious to see you as you are them and your spouse is ready for your return.
I sincerely hope your husband is doing well. Stents are an awesome lifesaving invention.