[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/premature-hospital-discharge\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/premature-hospital-discharge\/","headline":"Premature Hospital and Psychiatric Patient Discharge","name":"Premature Hospital and Psychiatric Patient Discharge","description":"The Dangers of Premature Psychiatric Patient Discharge If you or a loved one is admitted to a hospital or medical facility, you would hope that the doctors and health care workers there have your best interest in mind over monetary gain. One would expect to be taken care of and appropriately treated for his or… Continue reading Premature Hospital and Psychiatric Patient Discharge<\/span><\/a>","datePublished":"2019-07-18","dateModified":"2026-04-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/matt-kahn\/#Person","name":"Matt Kahn","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/author\/matt-kahn\/","identifier":25,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e04949bdf1f2184cdeab337bb39535a4c17c4beb3ad3cd47e5524b20b38274a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e04949bdf1f2184cdeab337bb39535a4c17c4beb3ad3cd47e5524b20b38274a9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Butler Kahn","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Butler-Law-Firm-Logo.png","width":210,"height":93}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Psychiatric-Health-Facility-04.jpg","url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Psychiatric-Health-Facility-04.jpg","height":426,"width":640},"url":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/premature-hospital-discharge\/","video":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"VideoObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VnulweO0AIA#VideoObject","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VnulweO0AIA","name":"Meet Us: Introduction to the Butler Kahn Law Firm","description":"We help people and families.\n\nButler Kahn specializes in serious personal injury cases. We accept a smaller number of cases for representation so that we can provide top-tier service and results to every client we represent. We believe that our devotion to customer service is proven in the Google reviews and video reviews that you can find online. Our success is proven by our results, which include jury verdicts of $150,000,000 and $28,000,000 and settlements of $45,000,000, $40,000,000, $30,000,000, $10,000,000, and many others well into the millions of dollars.\n\nWe are different. Most personal injury law firms take in as many cases as they can and settle them as fast as they can, even if that means settling cases cheaply such that their clients get less than they deserve. That high-volume, low-dollar business model may be good for the law firm's bottom line in the short term, but it is bad for clients. We believe it is also bad for the firm in the long term. If you see a law firm advertise on TV or on a billboard, you can bet that it is one of these high-volume, low-dollar firms.\n\nWe offer hard work and top-tier legal services. We have earned a reputation for aggressive, high-quality work in personal injury cases, and that helps our clients in two ways. First, if your case has to go all the way to trial, we will be ready to fight it out and win. Second, if your case settles, you're likely to get a higher settlement with us because our opponents know that we are willing to go the distance.\n\nWe also give back. Seriously. Our small law firm has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the people in the world who needed it most. We continue to do that. For more, read about our Giving Project at https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blf-giving-project.\n\nFor more about us and what we do, see https:\/\/butlerfirm.com.","thumbnailUrl":["https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VnulweO0AIA\/default.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VnulweO0AIA\/mqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VnulweO0AIA\/hqdefault.jpg","https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/VnulweO0AIA\/sddefault.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2021-01-07T16:37:18+00:00","duration":"PT2M54S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VnulweO0AIA","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw#Organization","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCeMYGr94Sf4LpYwIcO3P2Qw","name":"Butler Kahn","description":"We help people and families.\n\nOur firm specializes in personal injury and wrongful death cases. We are based in Atlanta, Georgia. We handle cases across Georgia and, for certain types of cases, all across the country.\n\nTOP-QUALITY LEGAL WORK. We do the work that lots of law firms skip. We track down witnesses, dig into the evidence, and prepare intensely for every deposition, trial, and hearing. We take a small number of cases so that we can devote our full attention to the clients we represent.\n\nPERSONAL SERVICE. If you hire us, you get us. You won't get blocked by a receptionist or leave unreturned messages. If you want to speak with your lawyer, you can.\n\nDOING WHAT WE SAY WE'LL DO. Some law firms make big promises at the beginning, then don\u2019t follow through. We shoot straight \u2013 when we tell you something about your case, good or bad, we mean it. No fake promises.\n\nButler Kahn\n10 Lenox Pointe\nAtlanta, GA 30324\n678-940-1444\n","logo":{"url":"https:\/\/yt3.ggpht.com\/NTOsbNEALVOnRbUCg7jUzYGcC4kNKsUTEVHm5TtiTQdLlfFKksLTnmiZG_t6zDG_e4ygtnva=s800-c-k-c0x00ffffff-no-rj","width":800,"height":800,"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VnulweO0AIA#VideoObject_publisher_logo_ImageObject"}},"potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VnulweO0AIA#VideoObject_potentialAction","target":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VnulweO0AIA&t={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"},"interactionStatistic":[[{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VnulweO0AIA#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_WatchAction","interactionType":{"@type":"WatchAction"},"userInteractionCount":5062}],{"@type":"InteractionCounter","@id":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VnulweO0AIA#VideoObject_interactionStatistic_LikeAction","interactionType":{"@type":"LikeAction"},"userInteractionCount":32}]},"about":["Liability","Medical Malpractice","Wrongful Death"],"wordCount":1398,"articleBody":"The Dangers of Premature Psychiatric Patient DischargeIf you or a loved one is admitted to a hospital or medical facility, you would hope that the doctors and health care workers there have your best interest in mind over monetary gain. One would expect to be taken care of and appropriately treated for his or her presenting problem within a reasonable amount of time. One would also expect to get discharged once properly evaluated, treated by a physician, and given the \u201cokay\u201d to safely return home.Most patients are prepared and ready to go when they leave the hospital, however, some feel rushed and pushed out too soon. In Georgia, medical providers are to only discharge patients after doing a thorough evaluation to determine when they are clinically stable and ready to be sent home. Physicians and medical facilities have various reasons for prematurely discharging patients. Sometimes it\u2019s because they think the patient is clinically stable when in fact they are not; other times it\u2019s because the hospital is short on staff or doesn\u2019t have enough patient beds. The issue of early discharge is complex. Unfortunately, there are several physicians who make risky decisions about discharge solely based on a patient\u2019s health insurance: either discharging patients as soon as insurance runs out or holding them longer than necessary to collect more money. Discharging a patient too early in particular, can be quite dangerous, especially when he or she is mentally ill or suicidal.Standard of Care and Patients with Suicidal Ideation\u201cStandard of care\u201d is a legal term used to describe the traditional and acknowledged practices of an average physician (i.e. what an average and reasonable doctor would typically do for a patient under similar circumstances).\u00a0Medical malpractice occurs\u00a0when a hospital, doctor, or other medical professional causes an injury to a patient by violating the standard of care through an act of\u00a0negligence. However,\u00a0not every mistake made by a healthcare worker or hospital will lead to a lawsuit \u2013only those that are grievous.Misdiagnosis, errors in treatment, aftercare, management, or early discharge may\u00a0cause harm to a patient\u00a0resulting in further surgeries, additional medical costs, new or heightened medical conditions, temporary or permanent disability, or even death. Psychiatric treatment in particular is complex and is difficult to diagnose and treat. For example, if a patient is admitted into a facility for suicidal ideation, it is difficult to fully determine when a patient is \u201chealthy\u201d and ready to be sent home.According to the American Psychiatric Association Steering Committee on Practice Guidelines, \u201ca proper psychiatric evaluation is the essential element of the suicide assessment process.\u201d When a patient is admitted into an emergency room or mental health facility for suicidal ideation, a psychiatrist or mental health worker will evaluate his or her medical history and current mental state. Through direct questioning and observation, a healthcare professional is able to identify factors that increase or decrease the patient\u2019s risk for suicide and come up with instant and ongoing interventions to help the at-risk patient. Furthermore, they will address the patient\u2019s immediate safety and determine what environment and context the patient needs to receive treatment.Patients who have high degrees of suicidal intent, have made an attempt to take their own life, or have detailed specific plans to inflict self-harm, are typically assigned a higher level of risk. Psychiatrists and mental health professionals are to document these reported behaviors. In addition, they are to note whether a patient has access to a firearm or other weapon to inflict harm on themselves or others. Then they determine whether or not restricting access to, securing or removing weapons is what is best for the patient.If a patient meets the criteria for high-risk for suicidal ideation, he or she is typically admitted to a hospital or facility for close observation or one-to-one monitoring (one health care worker to patient ratio) which typically includes standard 15 minute checks until the patient is appropriately discharged. However, not all physicians and health care facilities have the patient\u2019s best interest in mind when evaluating their need to extend their stay or discharge early.How Insurance Impacts Patient DischargeBefore being admitted into a hospital or mental health care facility, a patient\u2019s tests and treatments have to be approved for payment by a private health insurance company or public payer (e.g. Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, etc.). Health insurance companies typically rely on\u00a0diagnostic codes\u00a0that describe the patient\u2019s illness\/ condition and what treatment or tests may be needed. These codes also provide an average time frame for hospitals to complete such treatments and tasks. While these codes provide hospitals with recommended timelines, they do not provide an accurate estimate of a patient\u2019s physical or mental readiness to leave the facility.A patient who requires continued hospitalization typically presents with a critical health condition that necessitates diagnostic or therapeutic intervention, treatment, or monitoring. Prematurely discharging a patient oftentimes leads to hospital readmission. Dr. Oanh Nguyen, a professor of internal medicine and clinical sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that in the U.S., 1 in 5 patients are discharged too soon with one or more vital sign instabilities.Vital signs are typically measurable such as temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation. Psychiatric patients specifically require more vigorous observation and evaluation since their symptomologies are mostly cognitive and emotional.\u00a0According to her research\u00a0published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, Nguyen states that \u201cpeople had higher odds of being readmitted or of death within 30 days that correlated with the number of instabilities\u201d (see Figure 1).Figure 1: From Dr. Oanh Nguyen\u2019s Study on Vital Signs and Instability on DischargeAnother study on psychiatric rehospitalization conducted in Australia evaluated 135 patients who were discharged prematurely from an acute psychiatric ward. Researchers found that within 6 months, 38% of these patients were hospitalized again due to more psychiatric symptomatology and increased disturbed behavior. In yet another study conducted by Professor Eric Alper of Brown University, his team further found that early discharge does not lead to overall cost-savings for physicians or the medical facility if it eventually results in more subsequent health care utilization.\u201cDr. Oanh Nguyen, a professor of internal medicine and clinical sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that in the U.S., 1 in 5 patients are discharged too soon with one or more vital sign instabilities.\u201dHow Insurance Impacts Patient DischargeThere are a few skills that suggest you are ready and strong enough to function at home alone both physically and mentally. However, if you feel that you or a loved one is not stable to return home, it is important to inform someone. Do not accept discharge papers from a physician or healthcare worker until they have been explained to you and all your questions and concerns have been answered.It\u2019s important to share your reasons as to why you think you or your loved one needs to stay longer and why an early discharge would be unsafe. It may be a good idea to put this information with your concerns in writing as to ensure the hospital received the information. If you are still being asked to leave the facility after voicing your concerns, the patient or caregiver should inform another healthcare worker or social worker and contest the discharge plan.Medical Malpractice Lawsuits[cw_review]There are various reasons as to why hospitals and mental health care facilities decide to discharge patients early. Oftentimes, these facilities face overcrowding and are in a rush to get patients out so they can admit new ones. There are a variety of complex factors that go into the decision-making for hospital discharge. There are other times, however, when discharging an unstable patient too soon could lead to dangerous outcomes.If you or a loved one suffered harm and was readmitted into a facility shortly after being discharged, you may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Or if you\u2019ve lost a loved one due to a premature psychiatric discharge, you may be able to make a wrongful death claim. Either way, it is important to ask the right questions and get advice from an\u00a0experienced medical malpractice and wrongful death attorney at Butler Kahn, if you believe you have been injured or lost someone due to the negligence of a healthcare facility or physician."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Premature Hospital and Psychiatric Patient Discharge","item":"https:\/\/butlerfirm.com\/blog\/premature-hospital-discharge\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]