SCR 64

Abstract

This concurrent resolution establishes the Non-Acute Long-Stay Patient Task Force to study and make findings and recommendations regarding the needs and options of non-acute Long-Stay hospital patients in need of transition to a more appropriate care setting. Long-Stay is defined as patients that have been in the hospital for 15 days or more and no longer have an acute medical need warranting hospitalization. These individuals are awaiting transition because access to a more appropriate care setting is unavailable. This means there are individuals in acute medical hospital beds that no longer need to be, but various barriers such as lack of insurance coverage, delayed authorization or guardianship, barriers to admission into behavioral health facilities or long-term care, and more, are preventing them from acute medical hospital discharge. This unnecessarily increases health care costs and can have a negative impact on the patients who are missing out on getting the specialized care they need at a more appropriate care facility. This also means longer wait times for other patients in hospital emergency rooms as there is less bed availability. This concurrent resolution establishes a task force to study and make recommendations on these issues.