Which term is a utilization measure assessing patient discharge status?

• A. Hospital Admission
• B. Medicare Fee-for-Service Claims
• C. Discharged to Community
• D. Optimal Health Status

Answer: (C)

Focusing on discharge destination as a utilization measure helps you understand how the patient’s care ends up in the broader system. The term “Discharged to Community” precisely describes where the patient goes after the home care episode—their discharge status. It indicates the patient is returning to a community-based setting, such as home, rather than moving to another facility.

The other terms don’t fit this specific use. Hospital Admission describes entering a hospital, not where the patient is after discharge. Medicare Fee-for-Service Claims is a data source used for billing and tracking claims, not a discharge destination term. Optimal Health Status reflects an outcome level, not where the patient will be discharged to.

So, the term that best represents a utilization measure of discharge status is the one signaling the patient has been discharged to the community.