Discharge from home from hospital requires the successful transfer of information from physicians to the patient and family to reduce adverse events and prevent readmissions. Involving patients and families in the discharge planning process helps make this transition of care safe and effective. Strategy 4: Transition of care from hospital to home: IDEAL Discharge Planning highlights the key elements for engaging the patient and family in discharge planning: Word and PowerPoint files are provided for hospitals to adapt to their organizations. Users can download documents in zipped format by selecting: www.ahrq.gov/downloads/patfamilyengageguide/strategy4zipfiles.zip; 14.24 MB. Involve the patient and family as full partners in the discharge planning process Assess the extent to which physicians and nurses explain the diagnosis, status and next steps of patient care to the patient and family, and use Teach Back. Discuss five key areas with the patient and family to avoid problems at home: Inform the patient and family in plain language about the patient`s condition, discharge process, and next steps at each opportunity during the hospital stay. Strategy 4: Hospital-to-Home Transitions: The IDEAL Discharge Planning Implementation Guide provides an overview and rationale for the IDEAL discharge planning strategy and provides step-by-step guidance to help hospitals implement this strategy. on site and addresses common challenges. [ Microsoft Word version – 9.9 MB; PDF Version – 545.77 KB ] Listen to and respect the goals, preferences, observations and concerns of the patient and family.