Setting Up a Hospital Discharge Lounge: 5 Best Practices

Nationally, patients wait an average of 103 minutes for an inpatient bed after being seen in the emergency department (ED). Not only does this lag time cause overcrowding, but it also worsens a patient’s overall experience with a facility. To alleviate this issue, many facilities utilize a hospital discharge lounge, which is a designated waiting area for patients who are cleared to go home. This ultimately frees up beds more quickly and improves care efficiency.

If your facility is often impacted by long wait times, you may be considering setting up a discharge lounge for your patients. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of how these lounges work and outline best practices for creating a comfortable, efficient, and safe space.

What Is a Hospital Discharge Lounge?

In hospitals, discharge lounges are dedicated areas where patients wait for their discharges to be completed. Patients who are medically cleared to leave the hospital are moved to the lounge so that they can more comfortably wait for their transportation home.

These lounges are typically overseen by a range of care staff, also providing amenities like seating, snacks, and entertainment. This allows discharged individuals and families to enjoy their wait while freeing up beds for other patients who need to be admitted.

What Are the Benefits of a Hospital Discharge Lounge?

Discharge lounges were originally created to help reduce overcrowding in EDs. And, when used efficiently, they can provide many other benefits. Here are some of the other ways that discharge lounges can help both patients and staff.

Improved Workflow and Efficiency

Discharge lounges provide a designated space for patients who no longer need a hospital’s direct services. This increases accessibility to beds and helps move patients through the healthcare system more efficiently.

Increased Patient Satisfaction

Beyond freeing up beds, discharge lounges provide patients with a more comfortable transition between the hospital and home. This can improve the patient journey, helping them feel more satisfied with a facility’s services.

Cost Savings

When hospitals become overcrowded, patients may need to be diverted to other facilities — which equates to lost revenue. Hospital lounges can help prevent this, with one study showing that it has even saved some facilities upwards of $215,000.

5 Best Practices for Creating Discharge Lounges in Hospitals

Despite these benefits, discharge lounges can also introduce unwanted hazards if they’re not used properly. Lounges that are unorganized or poorly supervised may compromise patient safety, even increasing a hospital’s risk for liability. Follow these five best practices to create a more cost-effective and secure waiting area.

1. Identify a Suitable Location

Before constructing your lounge, it’s important to identify a location that is most ideal for your patients. Some hospitals place their lounge in the lobby so that patients are situated near the entrance/pick-up area. Other hospitals may choose a different location to allow for more space and privacy. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Security: The lounge should be situated in an area where patients can be safely monitored by staff. The space should allow for installation of a HIPAA compliant computer for staff who need to track patients or complete discharge paperwork.

• Capacity: If you typically experience a lot of overcrowding, it’s better to utilize a spacious area that can safely accommodate a large number of patients.

• Accessibility: Ensure your location is spacious enough to support accessibility. Your lounge should incorporate ramps for wheelchairs, walkers, and IV poles.

2. Design Your Lounge Based on Its Intended Purpose

You’ll also want to design your lounge to serve your facility’s specific goals. Will your lounge primarily be a waiting room for transportation, or will it be used to complete the final steps in the discharge process? This will influence what types of amenities you’ll need. Here are some common items and amenities that can be found in a standard hospital discharge lounge:

• Wi-Fi
• Comfortable seating
• Computer/monitor for staff
• Television and magazines
• Toys and games (for pediatric patients)
• Light beverages and snacks
• Restrooms (if lounge is not close to other restrooms at the facility)

3. Establish Clear Eligibility Criteria

It’s crucial to establish eligibility criteria determining who should be transferred to the discharge lounge. Hospital leaders should create a discharge lounge checklist for staff that specifies the conditions that must be met before a patient can be moved. This criteria will vary by facility and patient population. However, examples of hospital discharge lounge criteria include whether the patient:

• Is alert and oriented.
• Ambulates independently or with minor assistance.
• Requires no additional wound care.
• Doesn’t require oxygen supply.
• Has transportation secured/scheduled.

4. Regulate the Patient Flow Process

The lounge can easily become disorganized or underutilized if there’s no clear transfer process for staff to follow. Ensure that you train and educate staff on how to check patients against eligibility criteria and transfer them to the lounge. Generally, a registered nurse (RN) should be conducting a final needs assessment. Then, a transportation team (which may include nursing or patient care assistants) can move the patient to the lounge.

You’ll also need a system for tracking patients moving in and out of the lounge. You should integrate your checklist and tracking features into your EHR, also having a designated area where staff can document final discharge tasks.

5. Utilize Nurses as Lounge Coordinators

The actual lounge area should also be staffed and overseen at all times. You can utilize nurses as lounge coordinators, assigning one nurse to work in the lounge during every shift. This nurse would be responsible for facilitating transfers from the unit and managing patient flow.

You may need additional staff, depending on the functions of your lounge. Staffing a certified nursing assistant (CNA) to aid your nurse can be helpful if you’re expecting patients to have more care needs.

Hospital Discharge Lounge: FAQ

What do you do in a discharge lounge?

Hospital discharge lounges are designed to provide patients with amenities, such as TV and beverages, while they wait for their transportation home. Some facilities may also use lounges to complete the last steps in the discharge process, such as providing patient education or administering a final dose of medication.

How effective are discharge lounges?

When designed and organized well, discharge lounges can effectively reduce ED crowding and improve care efficiency. One study found that ED stays over 6 hours decreased from 24.6% to 15.8%, while another study found that inpatient units can save 73.9 days of bed time by using a discharge lounge.

What is a discharge lounge nurse?

A discharge lounge nurse is responsible for overseeing and tending to the needs of patients and families who are waiting in the lounge. They may also liaise with other staff members at the hospital to ensure patient flow is managed properly.

Discover More Ways to Improve the Patient Care Journey

Now that you know how to set up a hospital discharge lounge, you may be wondering what else you can do to improve care efficiency and quality. Looking for timely, expert-written advice? Get even more healthcare management tips and insights through IntelyCare’s free newsletter.