SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Analyzing Challenges Homelessness Poses to Continuity of Psychiatric Care Post-Discharge

Pdf Summary

This document examines how homelessness complicates psychiatric discharge planning and continuity of care for psychiatric patients experiencing homelessness (PPEH). It argues that current systems often fail to provide adequate post-discharge support because of limited research, insufficient community resources, long waitlists for supportive housing, and poor coordination between hospital and community services. As a result, some patients are discharged too early without appropriate placement, while others remain hospitalized longer than medically necessary while waiting for housing, which can be harmful to patients and costly to hospitals.<br /><br />The study used one-to-one semi-structured interviews with individuals who self-identified as homeless and had at least one inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. Data were analyzed using immersion-crystallization framework analysis. Findings showed that more than two-thirds of participants were not screened for homelessness during their inpatient stay. Lack of screening was associated with a significantly higher number of hospitalizations, though it did not change participants’ confidence in or ability to follow discharge plans. Participants described discharge plans as generic, poorly personalized, and difficult to carry out due to barriers such as transportation problems, understaffed services, weak continuity of care, and difficulty navigating resources.<br /><br />The document concludes that homelessness is a major barrier to effective psychiatric discharge planning and that stronger, more individualized guidelines are needed. Future directions include interviewing stakeholders such as psychiatrists, administrators, insurers, case workers, and social workers; studying the financial impact of readmissions and housing options; creating actionable screening and discharge guidelines; and piloting a quality improvement project to reduce readmissions among PPEH.

Asset Subtitle

Marina Hahn

Meta Tag

Author List Marina Hahn, Megan C. Smith

Category Research

Concept Homelessness

Concept Psychiatric Discharge Planning

Concept Continuity of Care

Concept One-Year Post-Discharge Outcome

Concept Readmission

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Presenting Author Marina Hahn

Track Transitions of Care

Keywords

homelessness

psychiatric discharge planning

continuity of care

psychiatric patients experiencing homelessness

supportive housing

hospital readmissions

homelessness screening

community resources

inpatient psychiatry

discharge guidelines

Homelessness

Psychiatric Discharge Planning

Continuity of Care

One-Year Post-Discharge Outcome

Readmission