What is the primary objective of discharge planning in healthcare?

The primary objective of discharge planning in healthcare is to ensure that patients receive the appropriate services and support after their discharge from a healthcare facility. This process involves assessing the patient’s ongoing healthcare needs, which may include arranging follow-up appointments, coordinating home healthcare services, providing education on medication management, and ensuring access to community resources. By focusing on the continuity of care and the safe transition from hospital to home or other settings, discharge planning aims to enhance the patient's recovery, reduce the risk of readmissions, and promote better health outcomes.

The other options, while they may play a role in the broader context of healthcare management, do not capture the primary goal of discharge planning. Optimizing resource allocation, evaluating treatment effectiveness, and conducting audits are important aspects of healthcare operations but are not the main focus of discharge planning, which centers specifically on preparing the patient and their support system for successful recovery post-discharge.