END OF LIFE CARE - NEW HORIZONS FOR ADVANCE DIRECTIVES - Enhancing Care Transitions with an Explicit Live Discharge Protocol (LDP) from Hospice

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Damian

Live discharge from hospice requires a structured approach to ensure safe, compassionate transitions for patients who no longer meet eligibility criteria and for their caregivers. The paper presents a hospice live discharge protocol (LDP) designed to improve patient and caregiver experience, reduce disruptions, and help providers manage transition complexities. The LDP includes clinical needs inventories, psychosocial and financial assessments, community referral planning, and post-discharge follow-up to prevent care gaps and monitor caregiving well-being.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Enhancing Care Transitions with an Explicit Live Discharge Protocol (LDP) from Hospice

Protocol components and aims

Implementation and interviews

Thematic analysis and reported value

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 241 remain connected to patients/caregivers for potential future re-enrollment onto hospice. Future research, policy and practice implications will be discussed. SESSION 2265 (PAPER) END OF LIFE CARE: NEW HORIZONS FOR ADVANCE DIRECTIVES Abstract citation ID: igaf122.806 ENHANCING CARE TRANSITIONS WITH AN EXPLICIT LIVE DISCHARGE PROTOCOL (LDP) FROM HOSPICE Stephanie P. Wladkowski1, Susan Enguidanos2, and Tracy Schroepfer3, 1. Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, United States, 2. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States, 3. University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States Implementing a live discharge protocol (LDP) from hospice care is a critical component of ensuring safe and compassionate transitions for hospice patients (and their caregivers) who no longer meet eligibility criteria. A live discharge protocol (LDP) for hospice was recently developed with aims to (1) enhance patient and caregiver experience, (2) minimize disruptions of care, and (3) support hospice providers in navigating the complexities of care transitions. Key elements of the LDP include an inventory of clinical needs, assessment of psychosocial and financial concerns, needed community referrals, and post-discharge follow-up to prevent care gaps and assess caregiving well-being post-discharge. We tested the LDP in 4 US hospice agencies for live discharges experienced due to extended prognosis (n = 30) . Following each discharge, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with hospice providers to elicit their perspectiveson the usability of the LDP and suggestions for improving LDP implementation. A second set of interviews (n = 19) were conducted after the post-discharge phone call to explore the clinicians’ experiences with the LDP process. Thematic analysis was used. Providers noted the LDP was useful in ensuring a thorough collection of currently used equipment and supplies for improved discharge process. The need for the LDP referral section was specifically valuable for patients living at home. Finally, the follow-up phone call was found to be useful to support the hospice clinician in this care transition, and as a mechanism to

FAQs

What problem does the hospice live discharge protocol address?

It targets safe and compassionate transitions when hospice patients no longer meet eligibility criteria, including minimizing disruption for patients and caregivers.

What key elements are included in the LDP?

The LDP covers an inventory of clinical needs, assessment of psychosocial and financial concerns, community referral needs, and post-discharge follow-up to prevent care gaps.

How was the LDP evaluated in the study?

Four US hospice agencies tested the LDP for live discharges, followed by semi-structured interviews with hospice providers before and after the post-discharge phone call; thematic analysis was then applied.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Damian