What to ask about medications
Ask for a list of every medication, what changed and why, and how many days of pills or prescriptions go home.
Ask who will prescribe after discharge, and which pharmacy has the prescription, so the first night is not a scramble.
Book the first visit before discharge
Ask for the first follow-up visit to be booked before your loved one leaves, within 7 days, with the date, time, and address written down.
The week after leaving is when many people end up back in the hospital or in crisis. A visit within 7 days is the usual standard, and the hospital should book it before anyone walks out. Telehealth counts.
The hospital should send the treatment information to the outpatient clinicians who will see your loved one (42 CFR 482.43).
If the visit is not on the calendar
Ask the social worker to schedule one before discharge. If the clinic has no opening within 7 days, ask for the next available visit and a backup clinician.
Write down who to call if warning signs return before that visit. Print the checklist and fill in the medication lines with the team.
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Get The PlanThis is general information, not legal or medical advice.
FAQ
Q: What if there is no appointment within 7 days?
Ask the social worker to schedule one before discharge. Telehealth counts.
Q: How many days of medication should go home?
Ask for enough pills, or a prescription you can fill today, to last until the first follow-up visit. Write down the number of days.
Q: Who should we call if warning signs return before that visit?
Ask for a name and a phone number before you leave, and write them on the discharge plan.