Anticipated Date of Discharge (ADD) Whiteboard project

If you have recently visited an acute care site in Prairie Mountain Health, you may have noticed an addition to our patient rooms.  This spring, Prairie Mountain Health started the roll out of Anticipated Date of Discharge (ADD) on patient whiteboards in our acute care sites.

Anticipated Date of Discharge (ADD) is the date each patient is expected to be discharged from hospital.  This is a projected date used for planning and will be adjusted based on the patient progress and response to treatment.

At the bedside, each patient will have a white board that will identify the patient’s daily progress and care journey during their stay in the hospital.  Information displayed on the white board, which will be updated daily, will include:

• Patient’s name
• Upcoming tests / diagnostic exams (eg. Xrays or scans)
• Name of the patient’s medical care provider and health care team
• Patient’s care plan
• Patient’s goals of care
• Patient’s anticipated discharge / transfer date

There are many benefits to utilizing Anticipated Date of Discharge in hospital settings.  ADD involves patients and families in planning for their discharge at the earliest possible point and allowing time to make any necessary arrangements such as home adaptations or simply arranging a ride home from the hospital.

Patients and families who have had the opportunity to experience the new ADD process have many positive things to say:

• “We appreciate seeing updates daily and knowing the plan”- family member
• “I read it every day and look for changes”- patient
• “I like knowing my nurse’s name as I forget after they tell me”- patient
• “I know the date of discharge is estimated but it does help us plan” – family