STATE OF CONNECTICUT BILL Section 1 of PA 23-39 (the “Act”) repeals Section…

TOPIC: STATE OF CONNECTICUT BILL Section 1 of PA 23-39 (the “Act”) repeals Section 19a-504c of the General Statutes and requires the Department of Public Health (“DPH”) regulations to set minimum standards for hospital and nursing home discharge planning services. This bill will be effective October 2023.
PURPOSE OF THE PAPER:
The purpose of this paper is to explore each topic in order to inform yourself and others about the problems that caused the bill to be introduced, who the stakeholders are, what the impact of the bill might be if passed, and what the impact would be if the bill was not passed.
macrosystem macrosystem
introduce your topic and proposed or recent legislative act
 Explain the underlying problem/issue. Consider the following:
o Causes
oCurrent and future effects on the community(microsystem,mesosystem,and macrosystem)
o Who raised the issue and show interested in it
o How the problem moved to the legislative agenda
 Put the problem in context with specifics on social, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors
 Identify your program of study in this section and present your position on the issue from that perspective

THE ANSWER

Introduction
The State of Connecticut is proposing a new law that would set minimum standards for hospital and nursing home discharge planning services. This bill, known as PA 23-39, would require the Department of Public Health (DPH) to develop regulations that ensure that all patients discharged from hospitals or nursing homes receive the information and support they need to make a smooth transition to their next setting.

Underlying Problem
The underlying problem that this bill is trying to address is the lack of coordination between hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers when it comes to discharge planning. This can lead to patients being discharged without the information or support they need, which can increase the risk of readmission and other complications.

Causes of the Problem
There are a number of factors that contribute to the problem of poor discharge planning, including:

The lack of a standard discharge planning process across healthcare organizations
The lack of communication between healthcare providers
The lack of resources available to support discharge planning
The lack of training for healthcare providers on discharge planning
Current and Future Effects on the Community
The current effects of poor discharge planning can be seen in the high rates of readmission to hospitals and nursing homes. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), nearly 20% of Medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. This is a costly problem for both patients and the healthcare system.

The future effects of poor discharge planning could be even more serious. As the population ages and the number of people with chronic health conditions increases, the demand for discharge planning services will also increase. If we do not address the problem of poor discharge planning, it will become a major public health issue.

Who Raised the Issue and Showed Interest in It
The issue of poor discharge planning has been raised by a number of stakeholders, including:

Patients and their families
Healthcare providers
State and federal policymakers
Consumer advocacy groups
These stakeholders are concerned about the high rates of readmission and the negative impact that poor discharge planning can have on patients’ health and well-being.

How the Problem Moved to the Legislative Agenda
The problem of poor discharge planning has been on the legislative agenda in Connecticut for several years. In 2019, the legislature passed a bill that required hospitals to provide patients with a discharge checklist. However, this bill did not go far enough to address the problem of poor discharge planning.

The proposed legislation, PA 23-39, would go further than the previous bill by requiring the DPH to develop regulations that set minimum standards for hospital and nursing home discharge planning services. These standards would cover a range of issues, including:

The provision of information to patients about their discharge plans
The coordination of care between hospitals, nursing homes, and other healthcare providers
The provision of support services to patients and their families
Social, Economic, Ethical, Legal, and Political Factors
The proposed legislation is supported by a number of social, economic, ethical, legal, and political factors.

Social factors: The high rates of readmission to hospitals and nursing homes are a major public health problem. The proposed legislation would help to address this problem by improving the quality of discharge planning services.

Economic factors: The cost of readmission to hospitals and nursing homes is a significant burden on the healthcare system. The proposed legislation would help to reduce these costs by preventing unnecessary readmissions.

Ethical factors: Patients have the right to receive high-quality care that is coordinated across different healthcare settings. The proposed legislation would help to ensure that patients receive the care they need to make a smooth transition to their next setting.

Legal factors: The proposed legislation is consistent with federal law, which requires hospitals to provide patients with a discharge checklist.

Political factors: The proposed legislation is supported by a number of healthcare stakeholders, including patients, their families, and healthcare providers.

Program of Study and Position on the Issue
I am a student in the Master of Public Health program at the University of Connecticut. My focus is on health policy and management. I believe that the proposed legislation is a necessary step to improve the quality of discharge planning services in Connecticut. I am confident that this legislation will have a positive impact on the health and well-being of patients and their families.