A Review of Discharge-Prediction Processes in Acute Care Hospitals

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Discharge prediction is designed to streamline inpatient flow and reduce hospital overcrowding without adding capacity. This study's objective was to describe the literature on discharge prediction and assess its usefulness in evaluating the implementation and outcomes of discharge prediction projects. METHODS The authors reviewed the current peer-reviewed and grey literature on discharge prediction projects in acute care hospitals. Project descriptions were analyzed using Donabedian's structure-process-outcome model for evaluating complex healthcare innovations. RESULTS The review revealed a paucity of literature on the use and effectiveness of discharge prediction. There is high variation in its use and generally poor reporting of both implementation and outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The literature on discharge prediction generally lacks the descriptive detail that would be useful to parties considering or planning a discharge prediction initiative. Further study is required to determine how best to integrate these prediction tools into acute care hospitals.