What should I think about before I go home from hospital?

After a stay in hospital, it’s important that you continue to get the right care and support from the right people when you go home.

Before you go home from hospital, make sure that you:

• have arranged your transport home
• have collected all your personal belongings

Make sure that you know:

• how to care for any surgical wounds, sutures, casts, or how to use any aids, such as crutches
• what medicines to take and when to take them

You should also check with your doctor whether:

• you need any further tests
• when to see your doctor or attend an outpatient clinic

Make sure that you have a discharge summary and check that a copy has been sent to your doctor. You can find out more about discharge summaries below.

Questions to ask before you go home from hospital

• Do I understand what happened in hospital?
• Do I have enough medicines until I can see my doctor?
• Do I need to change what I’m eating?
• Do I need care from family members?
• Am I allowed to drive once discharged?
• Do I know how long it will take me to recover or time for my wounds to heal?

Ask your hospital doctors and nurses for more information if you are not sure about anything. It’s their responsibility to make sure you understand the next steps for your treatment and care.

If you still have questions, ask for the Nurse Unit Manager.

What is a hospital discharge plan?

A discharge plan is developed to make sure your move from hospital to your home is as smooth as possible.

It is the link between the treatment you had in hospital and the care you will need in the community.

Good discharge planning can avoid complications after a hospital stay. It can help avoid errors with medicines and may help stop you being readmitted to hospital.

Who is involved in hospital discharge planning?

Usually there will be a Discharge Planner or Continuing Care Coordinator who manages the process at the hospital. They will work with:

• you
• your family
• the staff involved in your care

A discharge plan helps ensure a smooth transition from hospital to your home. If you’re not going home, it will be prepared for wherever you are going to be cared for next. This might be:

• a residential care facility
• respite care
• palliative care
• somewhere else

What is the purpose of hospital discharge planning?

Discharge planning aims to:

• make sure that you have care or support when you leave hospital
• improve the co-ordination of services once you leave hospital
• reduce how long you stay in hospital
• help reduce unplanned readmissions to hospital

What is included in hospital discharge planning?

In creating your discharge plan, hospital staff will consider things like:

• whether you live alone
• how mobile you are
• whether you need assistance at home
• whether you will have physical restrictions, for example not driving or lifting

They will also consider what ongoing treatment you will need, such as:

• medicines, especially if you need multiple medicines
• wound care
• follow-up tests and appointments, such as rehabilitation
• equipment to help you recover

Discharge planning should ensure that all the services you need to support you are in place before you go home.

What is a discharge summary?

A discharge summary is one part of your discharge plan. It’s a document that is usually prepared while you are in hospital.

Your discharge summary will be sent to other healthcare professionals involved in your care, such as your doctor, pharmacist or carer.

Your discharge summary will include:

• the name of the hospital you stayed in
• your main diagnosis
• which medical or surgical procedures you had done
• whether you had any allergies or bad reactions in hospital
• a clinical summary of your situation and follow-up actions

It will also note what is needed after leaving hospital, such as:

• which medicines you are taking
• any dietary requirements
• any home modifications that have been arranged or that are needed
• which services have been arranged, such as community services
• any follow-up appointments that have been made

Who will see my discharge summary?

Your discharge summary may be an electronic document, known as an electronic discharge summary (eDS). This will be sent electronically to your doctor and can be shared with other professionals involved in your care.

A copy of the electronic discharge summary may also be added to your My Health Record. This won’t happen if you have opted out of having a My Health Record.

You may be given a paper copy of your discharge summary when you leave hospital. It is important your doctor gets a copy of this document.

Resources and support

If you are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, the Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer can help you get ready to go home.

You can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.