Little Rock Senior AdvisorWhat should we do when the hospital says our parent is ready for discharge?
Ask to meet the case manager the same day, ask whether your parent is an inpatient or under observation, and ask what level of care the medical team recommends: home with home health, skilled rehab in a nursing home, or a long-term setting.
Hospitals across the metro, from UAMS and Baptist Health-Little Rock to CHI St. Vincent, Saline Memorial and Conway Regional, all have case managers whose job includes discharge planning. You can ask for the plan in writing.
Can we refuse an unsafe discharge?
Medicare patients can appeal a discharge they believe is too soon by calling the Quality Improvement Organization listed on the Important Message from Medicare notice the hospital must give them.
The appeal must be filed quickly, usually by midnight of the day of discharge. While the appeal is reviewed, the patient generally does not pay for the extra hospital days.
How do we find a rehab bed fast?
Ask the case manager which nursing homes have accepted your parent's referral, then check each one's CMS ratings, staffing and recent inspections before choosing.
CMS lists 44 certified nursing homes in the six counties; it publishes an overall rating for 44 of them, and 24 hold four or five stars (Care Compare data dated October 1, 2026).Our nursing home roster sorts them by rating and town.
What if rehab is not needed but living alone is not safe?
Consider short-term respite in assisted living, home health plus paid help at home, or staying with family while you tour; many Level II buildings take short respite stays when an apartment is open.
Ask the hospital about home health visits, which Medicare covers for homebound patients who need skilled care. CareLink can explain in-home options at (501) 372-5300.
What if our parent lives outside Pulaski County?
Ask the case manager for referrals close to home as well as near the hospital, because rehab near family makes visits and the eventual move home easier.
Saline, Faulkner and Lonoke counties each have several certified nursing homes; Grant and Perry counties have one each.
Side by side
| A good discharge plan includes | A good discharge plan does not include | |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | A named place and start date | Leave it to the family to figure out |
| Medications | A reconciled list and who gives them | Old and new pills mixed |
| Follow-up | Doctor appointment and home health orders | No follow-up date |
| Equipment | Walker, bath bench or hospital bed arranged | Equipment ordered after arrival |
Sources: Arkansas Office of Long Term Care assisted living rules, the Health Services Permit Agency's Bed Need Book, Arkansas DHS waiver and PACE fact sheets, CMS, CareScout and VA rate tables, each cited in the text. Our editorial standards explain how we check them.
