Thinking About Health: Another Challenge: Finding the right follow-up care after hospitalization

If ever there were a weak link in hospital care, it’s what happens when someone leaves the hospital. It’s becoming clear that the process known as discharge planning is deficient, can be harmful and sometimes results in a patient’s decline.

One in five patients across the country needs further care after discharge from a hospital, according to a series of four reports published by the United Hospital Fund in New York City. That’s a lot of people, and many times their families don’t know where to turn for help. The fund said that hospitals themselves sometimes prove to be of little assistance....