Tottori J. Clin. Res. 7(2), 145-154, 2016

The current status of the recovery rehabilitation ward in Hospital A～Social worker support related to hospital discharge～
Mina Tanaka, Azusa Hiraki, Tomomi Sasaki, Sumiko Shimizu
Regional Medical Liaison Office, NHO Tottori Medical Center*Correspondence: tanaka-mina@tottori-iryo.hosp.go.jp
Abstract
Medical social workers (MSWs) are involved in the preparations for hospital discharge and contribute to thedischarge (home return) rate that is established in the hospital’s criteria. In this study, we report on the current
discharge status based on data for patients admitted to and discharged from the recovery rehabilitation ward
(RR ward) in Hospital A. Our analysis of the data indicated that most returned home. Over the 3-year period,
approximately 60 to 80% of the hospitalized patients returned home after discharge. Our investigation of theuse of social resources by discharged patients indicated that more patients used services than did not, withapproximately 60% using services. Our investigation of the social resources utilized by those discharged
patients who used services indicated that approximately half used Long-Term Care Insurance. Our investigationof the specific services utilized by those discharged patients who used Long-Term Care Insurance indicated thatthe highest number of patients used it for outpatient services such as day services and day care. Patients whowent to institutions after discharge went to the following types of institutions: institutions associated with theLong-Term Care Insurance program such as geriatric rehabilitation and medical services facilities for the aged,
special nursing homes for the aged, fee-based care homes, nursing care centers, elderly housing with supportive
home-care services, short residency without regard to facility criteria, and group homes; and institutions
associated with welfare services for persons with disabilities such as support for residential care and grouphomes. Tottori J. Clin. Res. 7(2), 145-154, 2016
Key Words: medical social workers (MSWs), patient’s post-discharge destinations, use of social resources bydischarged patients, Long-Term Care Insurance program, return home rate
1. Introduction
The recovery rehabilitation ward (RR ward) ofHospital A was opened in 2012, and it entered its
4th year of operation in 2015. Medical socialworkers (MSWs) are involved in the preparations
for hospital discharge and contribute to thedischarge (home return) rate that is established in
the hospital’s criteria. In this study, we report on thecurrent discharge status based on data for patients
admitted to and discharged from the RR ward in
Hospital A since 2012.

Our analysis of the data by illness indicated that themost common disease was cerebrovascular disease,followed by disuse atrophy etc. The number ofpatients with musculoskeletal diseases remained
constant (Table 1, Fig. 1).
Table 1. The number of patients by disease
No. of patients

2012

2013

2014

Total

Cerebrovascular
89

100

88277

26282478

Disuse atrophy30439393

Total

145

171

132448diseaseMusculoskeletal

2. Current status
We converted information on patients admitted
to the RR ward since June 2012 to data. Based on
the data, we determined that the number ofhospitalizations in the RR ward was 145 patients in
2012, 171 patients in 2013 and 132 patients in 2014.

disease1