A Knowledge Management-based Decision-making Model for Planning Patient Discharge in the UK National Health Service

The UK National Health Service (NHS) is faced with problems of managing patient discharge and preventing the problems that result from it such as frequent readmissions, delayed discharge, long waiting lists, bed blocking and other such consequences. The problem is exacerbated by the growth in size, complexity and the number of chronic diseases in the NHS. In addition, there is an increase in demand for high quality care, processes and planning. Effective Discharge Planning (DP) requires practitioners to have appropriate, patient personalised and updated knowledge in order to be able to make informed and holistic decisions about a patients' discharge. This research examines the role that Knowledge Management (KM) plays in planning an effective discharge plan. The research examines existing ways in which DP is currently carried out, the stakeholders involved in the DP process and highlights areas requiring further improvement. This research also examines KM models in healthcare and integrates KM with DP in the form of a KM based DP model. The model was developed based on primary research carried out on the stakeholders of DP along with secondary research. The model intends to highlight the nuances that require focusing on, and provides a seamless overview allowing healthcare personnel to impeccably plan the discharge of a patient with the involvement of both patients and their carers. The KM-based DP model is validated by the actors involved in planning the discharge i. e. healthcare personnel. Patients and carers too are involved in DP; however their involvement is focused on their knowledge and experiences influencing the decisions being made. Healthcare personnel such as doctors, nurses and administrators are however actively involved in planning the discharge.