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Caregiver Resource

What to Ask Your Hospital

A 30-question checklist to bring to your pre-discharge conversation. Save it, print it, or share it with your hospital social worker or discharge planner.

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1. Pre-Discharge Planning

  1. When is the expected discharge date and time?
  2. Who will physically discharge me, and what paperwork will I receive?
  3. Is there a discharge planner or social worker I can speak with?
  4. What follow-up appointments are required, and are they already scheduled?
  5. What warning signs should send me back to the ER or call 911?
  6. What are the criteria you use to decide I'm ready to leave?

2. Recovery Support

  1. How much help will the patient need with daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating)?
  2. How many days or weeks of constant supervision are needed?
  3. What signs indicate a normal recovery vs. a complication?
  4. Are there visiting nurse or home-health services that should be ordered?
  5. What can the patient eat or drink in the first 48 hours, and after?
  6. Is physical therapy recommended? When does it start?

3. Medications

  1. What new medications are being prescribed, and what is each one for?
  2. What is the exact dose and schedule for each medication?
  3. Are any of the new meds being substituted for ones the patient was already taking?
  4. What are the common side effects to watch for, and when should we call the doctor?
  5. Are prescriptions being sent electronically to a pharmacy or given on paper?
  6. Is there pain medication included, and what is the plan to taper it?
  7. Are there any drug-food, drug-supplement, or drug-alcohol interactions to avoid?

4. Mobility & Activity

  1. What weight-bearing or movement restrictions are there, and for how long?
  2. Will the patient need a walker, cane, crutches, or wheelchair? Where do we get them?
  3. Are stairs allowed? If not, how do we manage at home?
  4. When can the patient drive, return to work, exercise, or have sex?
  5. Are there fall-prevention adjustments we should make to the recovery space (grab bars, ground floor, roll-in shower)?

5. Logistics & Recovery Lodging

  1. How will the patient get from the hospital to where they're recovering? Is medical transport needed?
  2. If the patient lives far away, is short-term recovery lodging recommended? For how long?
  3. Are there support groups, mental-health resources, or chaplain services we should know about?
  4. Who is our primary contact at the hospital for follow-up questions in the first 7 days?
  5. What records, imaging, or test results should we take with us when we leave?
  6. Is there a patient portal where we can message the care team after discharge?

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