Transferring a patient from one nursing home to another is a multi-step process requiring careful administrative and logistical planning. This transition involves navigating financial approvals, medical record transfers, and coordinating care continuity between two separate facilities. This guide is designed for family members and caregivers to manage the administrative and physical requirements necessary to ensure a smooth and organized transfer for the patient.
Selecting the New Facility
The first step involves a comprehensive review of potential receiving facilities to ensure they can meet the patient’s specific health requirements. Thorough research starts with publicly available data, such as the Medicare star ratings, which provide a federal standard for comparing quality of care, staffing, and health inspections. It is also important to verify that the prospective home offers any specialized services needed, like specific memory care units, ventilator support, or advanced rehabilitation services.
Scheduling a tour and meeting with the facility’s administrator and social worker is highly recommended to assess the environment and staff firsthand. Family proximity is often a major factor, as regular visits are shown to improve patient well-being. The new facility must be capable of supporting the patient’s long-term and immediate medical needs, which requires consulting with the current attending physician about the patient’s prognosis.
Formalizing the Paperwork and Approvals
Once a new facility is chosen, the formal administrative process begins with officially notifying the current nursing home of the patient’s discharge. Federal regulations require that the current facility be given written notice, often 30 days in advance, although this timeline can vary based on the circumstances of the move. This notification is essential for the facility to complete the necessary paperwork and prepare the patient’s discharge summary.
Securing financial clearance is necessary, especially if the patient is covered by Medicaid or Medicare. For Medicare recipients, the intake coordinator at the new facility can assist in obtaining the required authorization for a transfer. If the move is across state lines and involves Medicaid, the process is more complex, requiring the termination of benefits in the current state and a new application to establish residency and eligibility in the receiving state.
The seamless transfer of medical records is mandatory to ensure continuity of care, and this includes sending a copy of the patient’s most recent Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment. The MDS is a standardized, federally mandated clinical assessment tool that details the patient’s functional capabilities, health status, and care plan. The MDS facilitates the transfer of health information, including a complete and current medication list, to the subsequent care provider. The current facility’s social worker or medical records department is responsible for compiling these records, including physician orders and recent diagnostic reports, and delivering them to the new home before the patient arrives.
Managing the Physical Move
Coordinating the physical transfer requires careful planning to ensure the patient’s safety and comfort during the journey between facilities. The patient’s medical condition will determine the type of transportation required, which could range from standard wheelchair-accessible transport to non-emergency ambulance services for patients requiring stretcher transport or medical monitoring. These medical transport services are often specialized, offering “bedside-to-bedside” coordination.
It is crucial to coordinate the exact timing of the patient’s departure and arrival with the nursing staff at both the sending and receiving facilities. This synchronization helps ensure the new home is ready for admission and that there are no gaps in the patient’s medication administration schedule. All personal belongings, including clothing, assistive devices, and comfort items, should be cataloged before the move to prevent loss or misplacement during the transition.
Medication reconciliation is a final step that occurs upon arrival at the new facility, where the receiving nurse confirms the medication orders against the transferred list and the patient’s current supply. This process is a safety measure to prevent medication errors, omissions, or duplications that could arise from the change in environment and care teams. The entire physical transfer process must prioritize clinical stability.