The transition from hospital to home is a vulnerable time for patients, making clear communication at discharge essential. PODS is a simple tool and set of process changes co-designed by patients and providers in 2014, providing best practice guidance in three areas: content, design, and process. Explore the PODS Toolkit website to learn more. In 2015, PODS was piloted across eight Toronto-area hospital departments, including adult, pediatric, rehabilitation, acute, and surgical care. Implementation led to a 9–19% increase in patient satisfaction scores related to the discharge experience.

Between 2017 and 2019, PODS expanded to 21 hospitals across Ontario through support from Health Quality Ontario and the ARTIC program. It proved adaptable across diverse settings and improved patient-centered discharge processes, as well as nationally collected patient experience measures related to discharge planning. PODS is now part of a transition bundle promoted through Healthcare Excellence Canada’s Bridge to Home program. Using a participatory action and iterative design-based approach, the project engaged over 50 patients and caregivers—including those with limited health literacy or language barriers—as well as healthcare providers, to ensure usability, feasibility, and responsiveness to real needs. Designed as flexible guidelines and tools, PODS has since been adapted and implemented across multiple health settings.