If ever there was a conundrum, the post-hospitalization discharge, with its often intricate and difficult problems, is one.

According to the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare, wrong site surgery occurs as often as 40 times per week in the U.S. All accredited organizations are required to use a preoperative verification process and surgical site marking process to help eliminate wrong site procedures.

A growing body of research demonstrates that patients recall and comprehend less than half of what clinicians explain to them. A good way to help confirm your patients’ actual level of understanding is to incorporate the ‘teach back’ (also referred to as the ‘show me’ or ‘closing the loop’ method).

Good communication between hospitalists and primary care physicians at the time of discharge is critical to patient safety and to the reduction of risk.

In 2014, the era of health care reform will fully take effect. The many changes will bring uncertainty to health care providers, as well as patients.