PATIENT INFORMATION

Preparing to go home

We help you continue healing at home

When it’s time to leave Methodist Hospital, we’ll help you continue the healing process at home. Here’s what to expect as you prepare to go home.
Nurse holding the hands of a patient

Methodist Hospital discharge process

Your doctor and nurses will make sure you leave with all the information you need, including:

  • Follow-up appointments with your primary care doctor
  • The type of follow-up care you need, like going to a transitional care unit
  • When you can return to everyday activities
  • Which medicines you need and their side effects
  • A nutrition plan and diet requirements
  • Signs and symptoms to watch for

Before you leave, your nurse will give you written discharge instructions and a going-home checklist. They will go over the instructions and answer all of your questions. It’s important that you understand the discharge information. If something is confusing or unclear, please ask your doctor or nurse for more information.

Discharge Lounge

Our goal is to discharge patients when medically ready. To help you prepare for your discharge by 11am, we welcome eligible patients to the Discharge Lounge. Patients are able to go throughout the day during lounge hours. This space allows you to wait comfortably once you are discharged from the hospital.

Your ride does not have to pay to park and can conveniently pick you up from the entrance.

While in the lounge, you can relax in a supervised environment until it’s time to head home.

Filling your prescriptions

When you leave the hospital, you will most likely have medicine you need to take. You can fill your prescriptions at our pharmacy and pick them up before you leave. If you have a preferred pharmacy, you may get your prescriptions filled at an outside pharmacy.

How to get home

We recommend having a friend or family member drive you home from the hospital. If you need medical transportation, we’ll arrange that for you. Depending on the type of transportation you need, your insurance might cover the cost.

If you aren’t sure what your insurance covers, call the number of the back of your card. Don’t have your card in front of you? Here are the member services numbers to common insurance providers: