The importance of follow-up appointments

Emotional health requires attention to relationships, behavior change, and self-care. Continued follow-up care offers you the opportunity to build a relationship with a health care professional who enables you to work on making long-term and lasting changes, going beyond the change you may have started in the hospital. It can lower the risk of a return visit to the hospital, and it offers a greater chance of overall success.

But being discharged also makes some people feel nervous. That is often because individuals feel as though they don’t have enough information about how to manage their diagnosis. Caregivers and family members often feel uncertain about next steps and proper care, too.

One way to feel prepared is to ask questions. Here are three things to ask your medical team about how to manage follow-up care.

What is the diagnosis?

This sounds like a basic question, especially if the hospital stay has lasted days or weeks. But understanding why the hospital stay was necessary in the first place is important. This is also true for the caregivers of a patient, especially if the patient is a child. Many parents feel as if they’re “in a fog” during their child’s stay in the hospital. The emotional strain of having an ill child, coupled with a sense of information overload, might interfere with your ability to clearly understand your child’s condition.

Whether you’re the patient or a caregiver of the patient, be sure you have a clear and full understanding of the official diagnosis.

Are medications needed? If so, what medications need to be taken and when?

After discharge, many patients will need to follow a strict medication regimen. Sometimes, though, once at home, it can be hard to understand which medications to take, when to take them (what times of day, how many hours apart, etc.), and how to take them (with food, with a full glass of water, etc.). It’s important for this conversation to happen before the time of discharge. And if new questions come up, reach out to the doctor for explanations so the medication plan stays on track.

Understand your medication at the time of discharge. A study from the Pharmacy and Therapeutics and Quality Assurance committees found that up to 73 percent of older adults failed to use at least one medication according to their doctor’s advice. Care planning before discharge, especially about factors like medication management, can help prevent this.

A lack of knowledge about medications after discharge can lead to problems for the patient. Proper medication management helps the patient avoid setbacks, health complications, and readmission. Not having the right list of medicines when leaving the hospital is a major cause of complications after being released.

Part of the medication conversation should include questions about any medicines that were prescribed before the most recent hospital stay. All the below points should be part of your conversation with the doctor:

• Understanding what new medicines are being introduced
• Understanding the directions for each medication, including time of day and whether it should be taken with food
• Understanding if any medications you’ve been taking should be removed from your routine.
• Understanding whether the doses of any of the medicines have changed

If you’re a caregiver, the questions above are just as important. Make sure the doctors and nurses answer them before you walk out the door. Once you’re home, tracking down answers can get a lot harder.

Get the information you need. Ask the hospital staff to write down instructions or take notes yourself. The day of discharge can feel hectic, so it may be even better to ask a friend or family member to take notes for you.

Communication is key. Remember to talk to your local pharmacist when filling your prescriptions. Talk with your personal doctor and nurses during your doctor’s follow-up visit as well. They’re part of your care team and can answer any questions you have.

When is my follow-up appointment?

The hospital will schedule your follow-up appointment with your health care provider. It’s important to understand the plan and discuss any barriers to attending your follow-up appointment.

Stay on track with your appointment schedule after discharge. According to the National Committee for Quality Assurance, timely follow-up care for individuals who were seen in the emergency room with alcohol or drug dependence has been shown to help reduce future substance use, hospital visits, hospital admissions, and bed days.

While you’re waiting for your follow-up appointment, it’s important to maintain treatment. Continue taking your medication as prescribed to stay healthy. If you experience any barriers or feel like your symptoms are getting worse, contact your doctor or health care provider right away to get the help you need.