The Discharge Planning Dilemma in the UK NHS: The Role of Knowledge Management

• Published in: Health Information Science pp. 172 - 185
• Main Authors: Kamalanathan, Nitya, Eardley, Alan, Chibelushi, Caroline, Kingston, Paul
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin, Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg
• Series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science
• Subjects: bed blocking; discharge planning (DP); emergency readmissions; frameworks; healthcare; Knowledge management (KM); waiting lists
• ISBN: 9783642378980; 3642378986
• ISSN: 0302-9743; 1611-3349
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-37899-7_15

This paper describes a research project that investigates and evaluates the role of Knowledge Management (KM) in discharge planning (DP) within the UK National Health Service (NHS). KM has been promoted in the NHS for a little more than 13 years. The paper shows that the popular press frequently reports problems associated with DP and examines some more reliable sources, concluding that more research into the phenomenon is needed. The factors that contribute to inadequate DP are summarised as conclusions to the paper. This is therefore an extract from a wider research project into the use of KM in DP, which is aimed at suggesting some causes, indicating some possible solutions and producing a KM framework to guide the DP and decision-making process. The paper indicates the current status of the research, which is continuing. It is hoped that this paper highlights the problem, summarises the research to date and stimulates further discussion of this important topic. Further publications will disseminate the developed solution.