Care transitions
Hospital discharge checklist
The complete step-by-step checklist for caregivers when a parent leaves hospital.
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Stage 1 of 4
While your parent is in hospital
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Hospital Discharge Checklist
September 11, 2026
Stage 1 of 4 — While your parent is in hospital
- Ask the doctor for a written diagnosis and treatment plan
- Get the name and direct number of the discharge coordinator
- Ask what medications will be needed at home and get prescriptions in advance
- Ask what medical equipment will be needed — walker, wheelchair, hospital bed, oxygen
- Ask about follow-up appointments and book them before discharge
- Ask the nurse to show you any procedures you will need to do at home — wound care, injections, tube feeding
- Update the FeatherKeep emergency profile with any new conditions or medications
- Notify family members of the expected discharge date using the care summary share button
Stage 2 of 4 — 48 hours before discharge
- Confirm the discharge date and time in writing
- Arrange transport home — ambulance if needed, confirm with insurer
- Prepare the home — clear pathways, install grab rails if needed, move bedroom to ground floor if mobility is affected
- Stock medications at home before discharge day
- Arrange the first home care visit if professional help is coming in
- Confirm someone will be home to receive them
Stage 3 of 4 — Discharge day
- Get a complete written discharge summary from the hospital
- Get a medication list — every drug, every dosage — and add it to FeatherKeep immediately
- Get the names and numbers of every specialist involved in their care
- Ask what warning signs to watch for in the first 48 hours
- Ask when to call the GP vs when to go back to emergency
- Get any wound care or procedure instructions in writing
Stage 4 of 4 — First week home
- Schedule a GP follow-up within 7 days of discharge
- Watch for signs of infection, confusion, or deterioration
- Log all new medications in FeatherKeep with refill dates set
- Update the emergency profile with the discharge summary
- Post a care update to share with family members
- Check what government respite support is available if you need help
Before they come home
Home safety & care essentials
Small equipment changes — a toilet safety frame, a bed assist rail, a monitored alert pendant, a locking pill dispenser — remove a lot of the daily risk at home. Here's what each one does, what it costs to run, and where it isn't the right answer.
- • Toilet safety rails and frames
- • Bed assist rails
- • Medical alert systems with fall detection
- • Automatic pill dispensers
These are products families commonly use — we don't currently earn anything from these links.