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Specifications Manual for Joint Commission National Quality Measures (v2016B1)
Home » Post-Discharge Evaluation Conducted Within 72 Hours

Release Notes:
Data Element
Version 2016B1

Data Element Name: Post-Discharge Evaluation Conducted Within 72 Hours
Collected For: ACHF-06,
Definition:Documentation that the post-discharge evaluation was conducted with the patient and/or caregiver(s) within 72 hours following hospital discharge.
Suggested Data Collection Question:Was there documentation that the post-discharge evaluation was conducted with the patient and/or caregiver(s) within 72 hours of hospital discharge?
Format:
Length:1
Type:Alphanumeric
Occurs:1
Allowable Values:

  • Y (Yes) There is documentation that the post-discharge evaluation was conducted with the patient and/or caregiver(s) within 72 hours of hospital discharge.
  • N (No) There is no documentation that the post-discharge evaluation was conducted with the patient and/or caregiver(s) within 72 hours of hospital discharge OR unable to determine from medical record documentation.
Notes for Abstraction:
  • The caregiver is defined as the patient’s family or any other person (e.g., home health, VNA provider, prison official or other law enforcement personnel) who will be responsible for care of the patient after discharge.

    • The post-discharge evaluation must be conducted within 72 hours following the patient’s discharge from the hospital in order to select “Yes.” To compute 72 hours, count the day after hospital discharge as day 1.

    • Documentation of a post-discharge evaluation conducted any time up to 23:59 of day 3, select “YES” for this data element.

    • If the post-discharge evaluation was conducted beyond the 72 hour timeframe, select “No”.

    • A post-discharge evaluation conducted within 72 hours via telephone or electronically, i.e., e-mail is sufficient to select “Yes” for this data element.

    • Documentation that there was phone contact made with the patient/caregiver but the post-discharge evaluation could not be conducted, select “Yes.”
      EXAMPLES
      • Patient/caregiver refuse to cooperate with evaluation.
      • Patient unable to participate in evaluation.

    • Documentation of a home health evaluation or office appointment scheduled within 72 hours is also acceptable to select "“Yes”."

    • Documentation that the patient presents to the ED or is readmitted within 72 hours, select “Yes.”

    • If documentation reflects that after 3 attempts to contact the patient and/or caregiver, the post-discharge evaluation could not be conducted because attempts to contact the patient and/or caregiver were unsuccessful, select “Yes”.
      EXAMPLES:
      • Home phone number provided at discharge is a wrong number, AND no e-mail address or other contact information was provided by the patient and/or caregiver at discharge.
      • Calls placed go to a voicemail system. Message left for patient and/or caregiver requesting a return phone call, but no return call received.
      • E-mail address generates an “undeliverable” message and no phone number is available for the patient and/or caregiver.
      • E-mail message delivered with no return response from the patient and/or caregiver.
    Suggested Data Sources:

    • Home Health Forms,
    • Logs from follow-up phone calls or other logs that record follow-up information
    Additional Notes:
    Guidelines for Abstraction:
    Inclusion Exclusion
    None None

    Post-Discharge Evaluation Conducted Within 72 Hours
    Specifications Manual for Joint Commission National Quality Measures (v2016B1)
    Discharges 01-01-17 (1Q17) through 06-30-17 (2Q17)
    Questions? Ask Question to Joint Commission staff Copyright © 2016 by The Joint Commission.
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