Hospital Discharge Checklist for Caregivers
The hours before a hospital discharge can feel rushed, and they're when many important details get lost. This checklist helps make sure you leave with a clear plan.
Before the day of discharge
- ☐ Ask when discharge is planned and who the discharge planner or case manager is.
- ☐ Ask where they're going: home, home with home health, a rehab or skilled nursing facility.
- ☐ If you disagree with the discharge plan or feel they're not ready, say so. Medicare patients have the right to appeal a discharge decision; the hospital must provide a notice explaining how.
Questions to ask
- What was the main diagnosis or reason for the stay?
- What changed with medications? What's new, changed or stopped?
- Have prescriptions been sent to the pharmacy?
- What follow-up appointments are needed, and who makes them?
- Are there tests with pending results? Who will follow up?
- What equipment is needed (walker, shower chair, oxygen)? Who orders it?
- Will home health, physical therapy or nursing visits start? When?
- What diet or activity limits apply?
- What warning signs mean we should call the doctor or return?
- Who do we call with questions after hours?
At discharge
- ☐ Get the written discharge summary and medication list.
- ☐ Update the medication list in the binder.
- ☐ Check that all medicines can be picked up today.
- ☐ Ask staff to show you any new care tasks (wound care, injections, transfers).
The first week at home
- ☐ Follow-up appointment booked (often within 1 to 2 weeks)
- ☐ Someone checks in daily
- ☐ Home made safer: clear walkways, night lights, grab bars
- ☐ Meals and transportation sorted
- ☐ Siblings and helpers know the plan (sharing care)
Not medical advice.
The Family Caregiver Binder includes a printable discharge checklist and a hospital stay log.
Family Caregiver Binder — $14
19-page caregiver binder: medical summary, medication list and log, appointment log, discharge checklist, legal documents and a care tracker spreadsheet. Instant download: PDF + DOCX + XLSX.
Get the Family Caregiver BinderFamily Paperwork Bundle — $34More guides
- Caregiver Binder: What To Include (Printable Checklist)
- Medication List for an Elderly Parent: Free Template and Tips
- Questions To Ask the Doctor as a Caregiver
- HIPAA Authorization vs. Health Care Power of Attorney: What Caregivers Need
- FMLA for Caregivers: Can You Take Leave To Care for a Parent?
- Caregiver Burnout: Signs To Watch For and What Helps
- How To Share Caregiving With Siblings (Without Fighting)
- The Medicare Hospice Benefit, Explained for Families
- What To Bring to the ER for an Elderly Parent (Grab-and-Go List)