Leaving the Hospital: Next Steps in Your Care

Your discharge plan

Before you leave the hospital, your care team will give you a discharge plan. A discharge plan includes information about:

• Your health conditions

• Care instructions for you to do at home

• Who to call with questions

Make sure to follow the instructions in your discharge plan. Bring the plan with you to your follow-up visits.

Your follow-up visit

After you leave the hospital, you need to schedule a follow-up visit. This may be with your primary care provider or a specialist. Follow the instructions in your discharge plan for who to see.

Aim to see a provider within 7 days or as instructed in your discharge plan. Bring your discharge plan with you. Also bring a list of all medicines you take. Make sure this list includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and supplements.

At this follow-up visit, your provider will:

• Check on your recovery

• Go over any test results

• Review your medicines

• Talk about next steps

Make sure to tell your provider if you have any of these:

• Side effects from medicine

• Pain that isn’t controlled

• Questions or concerns about your recovery

Your medicine after discharge

After you leave the hospital, you may have new medicine to take, such as pain medicine or an antibiotic. Make sure to take all your medicines exactly as directed. If you have questions or any side effects, contact your health care provider or pharmacist right away.

Who to contact if you have concerns

If you’re not getting better as expected, or feeling worse, you have a few options for who to see. These include:

• Your primary care provider. First, you can contact your health care provider. For help finding a primary care provider, call your health plan’s customer service number or visit their website. You can find the customer service number on your member ID card.

• A virtual care provider. If you don’t need to see someone in person, a virtual care provider is another option. This is known as telemedicine. It means you can see a provider remotely from nearly anywhere. Call your health plan’s customer service number or visit their website to find a provider.

• A nurse advice line. Many health plans and hospitals also offer a free, 24/7 nurse advice line. You can speak to a nurse about your symptoms and concerns. The phone number may be on your member ID card or on the hospital website. They can help you decide next steps.

• Urgent care. If your provider is not available and you want an in-person visit, go to the nearest urgent care center. Urgent care centers are usually quicker and less crowded than the ER.

• An emergency room. If it’s an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

Making your recovery a success

A good recovery depends on 3 key steps. Make sure to:

1. Follow your discharge instructions closely.

2. Schedule and go to your follow-up appointment, even if you're feeling better.

3. Take your medicines exactly as directed.

Staying in touch with your care team can help your recovery go more smoothly.