At the end of your hospital stay, you will get a paper with detailed discharge instructions that explains how to care for yourself and continue your recovery. Your nurse will go over these points with you before you leave. If anything is not clear, please ask questions.
As you prepare for discharge:
- Make sure that family members or anyone assisting you understands the type of care you will need, what to look for if your condition changes, when to call for help and whom to contact.
- Make sure you know how to operate any equipment or devices that are going home with you.
- Ask about support groups for your condition.
Be sure to take your paperwork to your follow-up appointments with your doctors after you leave the hospital.
Follow-up Appointments
To help bring your primary care practitioner up to date on your condition, make a follow-up appointment with him or her for one week after you leave the hospital, unless otherwise directed. A hospital staff member can help you make the appointment. Please try to do it before you leave.
Leaving the Hospital
Your nurse will let you know what time you will be discharged from the hospital. Patients are often discharged in the morning. However, the timing depends on when your physician has prepared your discharge orders. If the person taking you home cannot pick you up when you are cleared for discharge, please let a member of your care team know. When you are ready to leave the hospital, a nursing staff member or volunteer will accompany you to your vehicle.
Discharged patients check out at the cashier’s office or other location, depending on the time of day.