Guide 04 · Leaving the hospital

Leaving the Hospital: what to ask before you go — and your first week home

A hospital stay often ends quickly. These are the questions to ask before you leave, so the first week at home goes smoothly. Print this page, take it with you, and check items off as you go. Family members — this page is for you, too.

A nurse wheeling a patient through the hospital on discharge day

Why this matters

Most problems in the first week at home start with a small gap: a medicine that changed but nobody explained, a follow-up visit that was never booked, a phone number nobody wrote down. This checklist closes those gaps while you are still in the hospital, where the answers are easy to get.

Before you leave, ask the care team

  • Has any medicine changed? Ask for one printed, up-to-date list: each medicine, what it is for, the dose, and the times to take it.
  • Which medicines should I stop? Old bottles at home are the most common cause of taking a medicine twice.
  • What follow-up appointments do I need? Ask if they can be booked before you leave, and write the dates below.
  • Will a home health nurse or therapist visit? Which agency, when is the first visit, and what phone number do we call?
  • Do I need equipment — a walker, a shower chair, or a raised toilet seat? Who delivers it, and when?
  • What should I limit for now? Lifting, driving, stairs, bathing and wound care — ask what applies to you.
  • What warning signs mean “call the same day” — and what is the number, day or night?

Write it down before you go

Home health agencyPhone
First home visit (date)
Follow-up appointment(s)
My pharmacyPhone
Call if worried (day or night)

The first week at home

  • Put the new medicine list on the fridge. Use one pharmacy, and ask the pharmacist to review the whole list once.
  • Keep follow-up appointments even if you feel well — that is when small problems are caught early.
  • Line up help for the first few days: family, friends, a faith community, or support services through your local senior center.
  • Write down symptoms and questions as they come up, and bring the list to every appointment.
  • Eat regular meals, rest, and walk a little each day if your care team says it is OK.

Call the same day if you notice

A fever · new or worsening pain · redness, swelling or drainage from a wound · new confusion · a fall · new swelling in the legs or shortness of breath · or you cannot take your medicines. For an emergency, call 911.

This page is general information to help you ask good questions. It is not medical advice, and your own discharge papers always come first.

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