Plans must immediately be set in motion to facilitate eventual outpatient care and follow-up. The DOHMH must be notified of this patient and participate in the discharge planning, ideally early in the patient’s hospital course. An individual does not necessarily have to be AFB smear-negative to be released from the hospital to home. There is no minimum number of days the patient needs to be on treatment prior to discharge if the patient is being discharged to an appropriate setting. If arrangements can be made for outpatient follow-up, the patient may be discharged to his home if the 8 criteria above.
