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Patients and Families

As a patient or a caregiver of a patient moving from one health care setting to another or even home after a hospitalization the process can be very confusing. It is important for your safety to be knowledgeable about your disease condition, understand how to manage your medications appropriately and follow-up with your physician within 72 hours of your discharge.

These tools were developed with funding from the John A. Hartford and Robert Wood Johnson Foundations. They are designed to improve patient safety as patients move across healthcare settings transitioning from hospital to home with their primary care physician.

Personal Health Record (PHR)
This patient centered record consists of important health information that must be shared to improve communication with your health care providers during the care transition. Print out the PHR, personalize it by filling in your information, and take it with you to all medical visits. Be sure to share the PHR with your doctors and nurses, asking them the questions you have written and updating them on any changes in your medications. This record is a living document that should go to all health care provider visits. You should update this record with each appointment.

Discharge Preparation Checklist
This tool is a checklist of important activities designed to empower patients to improve their safety during the discharge process from hospital, nursing home or home health agency. Before you leave the hospital or nursing facility, be sure you have completed each of the tasks on the checklist. Talk to your doctors and nurses about what is going to happen next, find out who you should call if there are problems with your transfer or medications, and be sure you understand how to take your medications. Write down important information and the answers to your questions in your PHR.