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Healey pushes for standardized discharge forms, surrogate decision changes to speed hospital transitions
Summary
Governor Healey announced steps to speed patient transitions from hospitals—standardizing discharge forms, streamlining surrogate decision-making and paperwork—and noted a Health Policy Commission grant supporting timely discharges.
Governor Maura Healey said improving transitions out of hospitals is central to lowering system costs and freeing capacity. She estimated "2,000 patients probably in Massachusetts hospitals who are waiting to get out of the hospital, waiting for somewhere to go," and urged changes to paperwork, approvals and surrogate decision-making laws.
"And some of this has to do with speeding up approvals for other kinds of care settings," Healey said, adding the administration will implement a standardized discharge form to reduce duplication and delays. The Health Policy Commission has awarded over $1,000,000 to seven acute-care hospitals to support timely discharges, she said.
Officials said the standard-form and surrogate decision-work is designed to reduce unnecessary hospital days and improve patient flow, which can lower costs for hospitals and insurers while improving patient experience.
