Month, day, and year that the patient is formally released from the hospital or skilled nursing facility (e.g., patient left against medical advice, patient released to home, patient transferred to a skilled nursing facility or acute care hospital, patient expired).

One or more of the diagnoses listed after all the information from tests and observation have been obtained during the present course of a patient’s hospital stay. This identification is given at the time of hospital discharge.

Procedure codes 99238 and 99239 indicate the provider takes full responsibility for the patient’s entire hospital stay.

Projected treatment plan by the primary care physician or discharging provider for the patient involving subsequent health care after formal release from the hospital as an inpatient. This may include home care, transfer to another facility, postoperative follow-up office visit, medication administration, and so on. Discharge plans are a requirement of the Medicare program and The Joint Commission for all hospital patients. Also called discharge planning .

Clause in an insurance contract about a small estates law that releases an insurance company from liability if it pays the proceeds to the deceased insured’s estate.

1. Disposition of the patient at the time of hospital discharge. This may be documented as patient left against medical advice, patient released to home, patient transferred to a skilled nursing facility or acute care hospital, or patient expired. 2. The patient discharge status is entered in Field 17 of the Uniform Bill (UB-04) inpatient hospital billing claim form.

Report prepared by the patient’s attending physician at the conclusion of a patient’s hospital stay that summarizes the diagnosis, treatment, and results and outlines any further treatment after discharge. Also see abstract and discharge plan .

Formal reassignment of an inpatient to another facility for further health care.