"Homeward Bound":
a module about Discharge Planning

Patricia Beach, M.D.
Sally Robinson M.D.
Shirley Anderson, L.M.S.W.

Welcome to the UTMB Children's Restorative Care Team (CRCT) Systems-based Practice module.

This module is designed to help you develop the skills needed to be a Primary Care Provider for a special needs child. You will decide how to plan for discharge for a child who lives in town located miles away from a Children's Hospital and Children's Restorative Care Team. You will then consider some of the challenges of being a Primary Care Physician for that child, a role that can be very time consuming unless you are familiar with the support services available for you do your job with a minimal amount of effort.

Objectives:

1. List the steps necessary to implement the discharge of a medically complex patient from the hospital.

2. Determine sources of financial support for the medical needs of medically complex children.

3. Determine how to identify and obtain the equipment needed by children with complex medical conditions.

4. Identify which personnel should be responsible for securing equipment and referring to other local facilities.

5. List the qualifications and responsibilities of a Primary Care Physician for medically complex children.

6. List the responsibilities of medical specialists for medically complex children.

7. Determine transportation needs and support for medically complex children.

Let's get started