When you leave

Leaving hospital (discharge)

Before you leave hospital, we will work with you to identify services that will assist in your recovery and plan your discharge to leave hospital. Your discharge plan may include extra support services at a different facility, home or follow up appointments.

Wards have a check out time of 10.00am. Before leaving, you will need to arrange for someone to collect you from the hospital. Please check that you have:

• Arranged transport home with a support person prior to discharge
• Gathered all personal belongings
• Collected discharge medications, scripts required and X-rays
• Follow-up appointments (if necessary)
• Travel forms signed (if necessary)
• A Medical certificate for your employer or sickness benefit (if required)
• A Medical discharge summary for your general practitioner
• Referral forms (if services have been arranged for you).

If you wish to leave the hospital against the advice of your doctor, you will be asked to sign a form to this effect.

Transport and transfers home

You will need to arrange private transport home. If you require a taxi or other private transport, please notify staff and they can help arrange this. Ambulance transport will be organised for you only if your treating team determines it is necessary.

There are public parking and transport options available.

Discharge Transit Centre

On the day of discharge, you may be transferred to the Discharge Transit Centre (DTC) to wait for your support person to pick you up.

Open: Monday-Friday 6.30am to 11pm (closed public holidays); Weekends 8am to 4.30pm.
Located: Level 2, Ned Hanlon Building. Please follow the signs.
Phone: (07) 3646 7929

Pick up

There are car parks, a 2 minute pick-up bay and taxi rank located close to the Transit Lounge at the main entrance to the hospital (Butterfield Street entrance).

Walking aids and other equipment are not supplied outside the hospital grounds. The physiotherapist or your family will need to make arrangements to hire appliances or aids from a private supplier if you require these after discharge.

Medication when you leave

Make sure you know which medications to take once you are discharged. Your nurse can contact the ward pharmacist if you have any questions. During your stay in hospital you will receive an invoice for medications that may be ordered for you, for when you leave hospital. You will need to pay for these medications upon discharge.

Concerns after you leave hospital

Contact your GP or 13 Health (13 43 25 84) if you have any concerns after you leave the hospital. If you require urgent care call Triple Zero (000) or visit your local hospital Emergency Department.

Modifying your home

After your hospital visit, you may need to make some home modifications to carry out daily activities and ensure your safety at home. Our Occupational Therapist may assess and advise or refer you to a community service for a community home visit.

Ongoing care after discharge

Following hospital discharge, you may require more help at home for a period of time. Your health care team will plan your ongoing care once you leave hospital to ensure you are supported through your recovery. You will be asked about your home environment and daily activities to identify areas that you may need community support. This may include:

• transport
• cleaning and cooking
• Nursing assistance with medications, wound care etc
• grocery shopping
• caring for pets

If you feel you need support services at home to assist you, please talk to your health care team.

Hospital in the Home

Hospital in the home is arranged on the ward prior to discharge for ongoing medical care that can be managed in the community. Your ward staff and/or Discharge Coordinator and treating medical team will arrange this referral for you.

Follow up appointments (outpatient appointments)

Your doctor will notify you if you are required to have a follow up outpatient appointment. This can be 6-8 weeks after your procedure.

Medical records

Your medical record is confidential and is accessed only by health care professionals directly involved with your treatment. The medical record is the property of the hospital, and the information contained in the record will normally only be provided with your consent or where required by law.