Free resource · MedBrains
Discharge time audit sheet
Time every hand-off of a discharge on one sheet: from the consultant's decision to the patient leaving the ward. The total uses NABH's definition of time taken for discharge; the insurer column shows IRDAI's three-hour clock.
Discharge log
| # | UHID / bed | Payer | Fit for dischargeconsultant approves (A) | Summary drafted | Summary signed | Pharmacy returns done | Final bill ready | TPA request sent(S) | TPA approval received(R) | Patient left unit(L) | Discharge minL − A | Insurer minR − S | Main delay / notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||||||
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| 11 | |||||||||||||
| 12 |
How to fill it
Write each time in the 24-hour clock (e.g. 14:35) as the step finishes. Leave out day-care patients.
Discharge minutes = L − A. NABH's indicator runs from the consultant's formal approval of discharge to the patient leaving the clinical unit, reported monthly in minutes. Extra time the patient asks for is not counted: note it and subtract it.
Insurer minutes = R − S (cashless patients only). IRDAI's Master Circular of 29 May 2024 gives the insurer three hours (180 minutes) from receiving the final discharge request. Keep the sent and received times exactly — they decide who bears charges beyond three hours.
Monthly summary
| Payer | Discharges | Median discharge min | Longest | Within our target | Insurer over 180 min | Slowest step this month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | ||||||
| Insurance / TPA | ||||||
| PM-JAY or state scheme | ||||||
| CGHS / ECHS | ||||||
| All discharges |
Sources
NABH, Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, 6th edition (effective 1 January 2025): AAC.12 and the indicator "time taken for discharge" — portal.nabh.co
IRDAI, Master Circular on Health Insurance Business, IRDAI/HLT/CIR/PRO/84/5/2024, 29 May 2024 — irdai.gov.in
MedBrains · medbrains.in · General information, not legal advice. Check the sources for the current text.