Requirements for Hospital Discharges to Post-Acute Care Providers

CMS is committed to ensuring that the health and safety of patients are protected when discharges from hospitals and transfers to post-acute care providers occur. Therefore, we are providing the following information:
• Reminding state agencies (SAs), accrediting organizations (AOs), and hospitals of the regulatory requirements for discharges and transfers to post-acute care providers.
• Highlighting the risks to patients’ health and safety that can occur due to an unsafe discharge.
• Recommendations that hospitals can leverage to improve their discharge policies and procedures to improve and protect patients’ health and safety.