Cleveland Clinic caregiver helping transport a patient outside the hospital.

What is Cleveland Clinic’s Discharge Process?

When you’re first admitted to the hospital, leaving may not be the first thing on your mind — but it soon will be. After all, no one wants to stay in the hospital longer than needed. We get that. So from the very start, you’ll hear us mention “discharge planning” — the preparation for your transition out of the hospital. At Cleveland Clinic, we want you to know what to expect from the time you walk in our door until you head out. It’s all a part of how we help make your stay and recovery as smooth as possible.

Managing your care

While you’re with us, you’ll be talking daily with your healthcare providers (you may hear us call these “plan of care visits” or POCVs). We’ll talk with you during these visits about how your treatment is going. We can also answer your questions, go over the next steps and try to figure out how many days you may need to stay in the hospital.

Our registered nurses, social workers and case managers are also here to support you and your family. Throughout your visit, they’ll answer questions about your care and help with other issues like:

  • Working with your insurance provider
  • Ways to manage your medications
  • How to set up advanced directives like a living will and healthcare power of attorney
  • Connecting you to community resources

This team can also help you get ready to leave the hospital. If you or your family would like to speak to a social worker or case manager about discharge plans, please ask your nurse.

Preparing to Leave the Hospital

On the day you leave the hospital, we’ll try to have you ready to leave by noon after your provider gives you discharge paperwork. But we’ll first make sure you’re feeling well enough to go. We’ll talk about your ride and where you’re going to recover, whether at home or another care facility.

  • If you’re going home, it’s important that you choose a family member or friend as your Pick-Up Person (PUP) at least a day before your planned discharge. Plan to have them arrive at the hospital by 11 a.m. on the day you’re discharged.
  • If you don’t have an available PUP, you may be charged for your ride. But we’ll partner with you to find the best option for transportation, whether it’s through your insurance or directly with a transport company.

It’s also important to have all plans in place before you go. We want to be sure you have a way to leave safely.

Main Campus Discharge Lounge

 

If you’re staying at our Main Campus hospital in Cleveland, you'll relax as you wait for your ride in our comfortable and convenient Discharge Lounge. The lounge is the next stop only if you’re heading home. (If you’re heading to another facility, you’ll go directly there.)

This lounge, a private waiting area inspired by comfortable airport VIP lounges, is available 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays. A member of our transport or lounge teams will take you from your room to the lounge. You can find this lounge in the lobby (Room J1-441/442) of the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Pavilion (J Building) on our Main Campus. The lounge features:

  • Amenities like art therapy, art making, snacks, coffee, water, complimentary lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., warm blankets, recliners, TV and a restroom
  • A phone to call your insurance company if you need to confirm transportation coverage or to call your PUP
  • Staff who will notify the appropriate transportation company for you, assist with the valet process or validate your PUP’s parking

If your PUP hasn’t yet arrived, they should call 216.636.6060 to get your assigned pickup location (93rd Street circle or 96th Street entrance). And if you’re leaving the hospital after hours during the week or on the weekend, we’ll help you directly to your ride.

Your PUP may also use our valet service or park in one of our self-parking locations.

Leaving the hospital for another facility?

Sometimes your providers might feel you need more care after you leave. If so, we’ll work closely with you and your loved ones so you can continue recovering. (If you transfer to another facility from our Main Campus, you will not go to the Discharge Lounge. Instead, you will be transferred directly to your next stop.) You may go to:

  • An acute rehabilitation facility, skilled nursing facility, an extended care facility or long-term acute care facility
  • Home with a home care agency to help with your ongoing medical needs and rehabilitation

Questions to Ask Before You Leave the Hospital

We know you might have questions about what to expect when you leave the hospital. Here are a few to keep in mind.

What medications will I be taking once I leave? What do I need to know about them?

Your healthcare team will talk with you about all medications you need to take after you leave — including how and when to take them and any side effects. You’ll also get this information printed out for you when you leave the hospital.

If you’re unable to afford your medications, your care team can work with you to find a solution.

How can I receive my discharge prescriptions before I leave the hospital?

Our pharmacy teams know how things work when you’re leaving the hospital and have access to your medical records. There’s no need to stop at a retail pharmacy after you leave unless that’s your preference.

At some hospital locations, you can have your medications delivered from Cleveland Clinic pharmacies directly to your hospital room or to the Discharge Lounge before you leave. Bedside Pharmacy Delivery is safe, easy and convenient. Ask your healthcare team about availability.

Our convenient Cleveland Clinic pharmacies are also available. We can make sure the medicines you need are ready before you leave the hospital. And, if you want, you can keep using our pharmacies for all your prescription needs once you’re home. Cleveland Clinic pharmacies want to be your “Pharmacy for Life.”

You’ll need to arrange payment for any cost or copay prior to medication delivery.

Can I pick up my medications at a pharmacy close to my home?

Of course. We can electronically send your prescriptions to your favorite retail pharmacy.

How do I schedule my follow-up appointments?

We’ll work with you to schedule any needed follow-up appointments. If your appointment is scheduled before you leave, it will be included in your printed discharge information and added to your MyChart account.

If your follow-up appointments are not scheduled by the time you leave, you’ll usually be contacted by us to schedule an appointment. This would also appear on your MyChart. If you don’t have MyChart, you may call the scheduling number 866.320.4573 (for Ohio) or 877.463.2010 (for Florida) if your appointment is not scheduled within a few days after your hospital discharge.

Am I signed up for MyChart?

As a Cleveland Clinic patient, you can sign up for a MyChart account. We don’t automatically sign you up for this service. Once you’re signed up, you can use MyChart via the MyClevelandClinic™ app on any device or our website. MyChart makes it easy to track and schedule appointments. You can also get test results, access your medical records and have virtual visits with your providers — all in one place.

Where can my ride park and pick me up when I leave the hospital?

Each Cleveland Clinic location has parking lots or garages where your family or loved ones can park so they can come in and meet you at your room or in the Discharge Lounge, if you’re at our Main Campus. Each hospital also has a designated pick-up door where they can meet you.

Learn more about parking options at each of our hospitals.

At Main Campus, you can be picked up at the Entrance Area (J Building - Sydell & Arnold Miller Family Pavilion) or at the Glickman Entrance, 2050 E 96th St. Your PUP can also use our valet service or park in one of our self-parking locations.

What do I need to take with me when I leave?

Leaving the hospital can get hectic. But there are things you’ll need to remember to pack in your bag before you leave. Make sure you have your:

  • Discharge instructions
  • Keys to get into your house
  • Medical equipment (walker, wound care supplies, etc.) if needed
  • Personal items you brought into the hospital (wallet, phone, clothing, glasses, charger)

After You Leave Cleveland Clinic

It’s important to follow your healthcare team’s discharge process instructions as you recover outside of the hospital — no matter whether you’re going home or to another care facility.

If you have any questions, it’s best to get answers from your healthcare team before you leave. This can help prevent unexpected visits back to the hospital. It’s also important that you go to all your follow-up appointments.

If you’re having problems after you get home, reach out to your primary care physician (PCP) or main provider overseeing your care. In the event of an emergency, call 911.