There is perhaps no component of caring for a COPD patient with comorbidities that requires more collaboration across departments and disease states than discharge planning.

 

Chikita Mann says, “The discharge process is fragmented. We are pulling it together within five minutes. The patient will be given various prescriptions and be seen by multiple doctors.” Mann maintains that the discharge process is especially critical with the COPD patient. “You can't do this within five minutes. You can't do it within 10 minutes. A discharge should begin the moment that the patients steps in the door. Until we begin to realize that the discharge process begins when the patient is admitted, we risk providing suboptimal care and that’s not good for the healthcare system or the patient.”