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295 03 OTSNW 00°S °A3 pue nox og-zrl sooeTd pue ardoad 0€°I | PAGE I4 TERRACE BAY NEWS JANUARY 3I, 1973 ital's experience. P PATIENT DISCHARGE PLANNING TO INCREASE HOSPITAL EFFICIENCY AND CUT COSTS Patient discharge planning programs are one of the ways in which Ontario hospitals are making more efficient use of their facilities and cutting operat- ing costs. To assist hospitals who have not yet set up a program, or who would like assistance in improving their program, the Ontario Hospital Association has published a Patient Discharge Planning Program guidebook. \ Announcing the guide OHA President Charles E. Boyd said that discharge planning would not only help hospitals cut costs, but would improve bed-usage efficiency. The guide lists 50 of the most com- mon diagnoses made in Ontario hospitals and lists the average lengths of stay as experienced on province wide and Canada wide bases and as experienced by two hospitals who have implemented a discharge planning program. It then recommends that physicians in participating hospitals set their own discharge target dates based on the fig- ures provided and the individual hos- The attending phy- sician then notes the expected date of discharge on the patient's record. On the day previous to the target date of discharge the date is reviewed and if possible the patient is released a day earlier than the target or on the target date. If the patient cannot be discharged then the physician must note why the patient cannot be discharged and refer the case to the hospital discharge plan- ning committee. The guide suggests that the dischar- ge planning committee, which is made up of physicians from the hospital, be responsible, in addition to reviewing medical records of patients still in hospitals after the target discharge date. ... determine whether the patient still requires in-hospital treatment or make suggestions to the attending phys- ician as to alternative accommodation. ... report on the effectiveness of the discharge planning and program and make recommendations on how discharge target dates may be improved. cont'd page I6 TODAY'S CHILD BY HELEN ALLEN ll ES EA Ls a an THE TORONTO SU)N] SYNDICATE At14 a boy needs a base -- a home where he knows he belongs and a family for sharing and caring. Douglas hopes for that kind of stability and so this good- looking lad wants to be adopted. Douglas is Indian and Anglo-Saxon in descent. He has brown eyes, dark hair and olive skin and is in excellent health. He is quiet and shy among strangers until the conversation turns or is led to sports. Then he becomes really animated. This lad's chief interest is sports. He plays all games, belongs to a hockey team and never likes to miss hockey or football on television. Douglas is also a camping enthusiast. He enjoys all kinds of music, especially rock and roll, and loud! In Grade seven, Douglas admits that he is not keen on studying. He will probably want to learn a trade when he goes on to secondary school. Though not a great student he has mastered two languages -- English and French. He speaks both well but says he likes French better. With his pleasant, friendly personality Douglas gets on well with other children. He needs loving involved parents in a home where the at- mosphere is easy-going along with firm, consistent discipline. Academic expectations should not be demanding. To inquire about adopting Douglas, please write to Today's Child, Box 888, Station K, Toronto M4P 2H2. For general adoption information, please contact your local Children's Aid Society. HE LOVES SPORTS