By now you've probably heard of the legislative action that's been taken to prevent hospitals from kicking out new mothers too soon. We're on our own. They might bow to that pressure when a patient really needs to stay an extra day. Doctors blame this all on managed care. Fact is, HMOs can dismiss M.D.s without cause.
Doctors are aware that their costs per patient, including hospital stays, are under constant review.
Find out what pressures your doctor is under and press him or her on whether it really is time to send you home. Patients who are being booted out of the hospital too soon and can't really care for themselves at home are ending up in what's called sub-acute facilities. In many instances they're nursing homes by another name. The elderly have been kicked out to make room for patients who need a few more days of care beyond hospitalization. It's a great deal for the nursing home owners.