US · guidance
CMS SOM App. U, Tag R162
§403.736(c) Standard: Reassessment
The RNHCI must reassess its discharge planning process on an ongoing basis. The
reassessment must include a review of discharge plans to ensure that they are
responsive to discharge needs.
Interpretive Guidelines: §403.736(c)
The RNHCI must have a policy and procedure for the evaluation and reassessment of its
discharge planning process. We would anticipate that the RNHCI’s reassessment process
include a review of discharge plans for recently discharged patients to determine whether
they were tailored to the patient’s non-medical post-discharge needs. Additionally, we
would encourage RNHCIs to review and determine if any patients returned for care
within the RNHCI, which may be one indicator of the effectiveness of the discharge plan.
Survey Procedures:
• Verify discharge planning policies to determine the following:
o What is the facility process to assess its discharge planning activities on
an ongoing basis?
o How has the facility responded to changing discharge planning needs?
o Has the reassessment included reviewing a sampling of discharge plans
and following up with the patient or patient’s legal representative, as
appropriate?
History
Rev. 239; Issued: 04-24-26; Effective: 04-24-26; Implementation: 04-24-26
Provenance
- Source
- cms.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-07-22
- Edition
- som-2026-07-22
- Content hash
8d4aa52856ecf0c7018014f6008dc32c1689e82937a18f6a78e0ef7d0252d422
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