When You Leave
Helping you safely leave the hospital
When You Leave the Hospital
At Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth, it’s our goal to get you home as soon as you are healthy enough. Your doctor decides when you can leave the hospital based on your individual needs.
Other members of your care team assist with discharge planning:
Hospitalists
The hospital-based doctor who provided your care gives your primary care doctor an update on your treatment and recommended follow-up care. The hospitalist sends your doctor a written discharge summary that includes contact information for any follow-up questions.
Case Management
Registered nurses and licensed social workers serve as your case managers. They help plan your discharge from the hospital. They arrange for any ongoing needs, such as home care, hospice care or transportation to an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Your case manager helps you understand your options. Once you make a choice, they help coordinate your care.
When you’re admitted, your care team begins careful planning for the best time for you to leave the hospital. We track your health and other needs daily. When you’re ready to return home or to transfer to another level of care, your doctor writes a discharge order. Your care team talks with you and your family about next steps.
Your care team provides written instructions for your ongoing care before you leave the hospital. Be sure to ask any questions you have. We’ll talk with you about what to expect.
Only your doctor can approve your discharge. If you’re scheduled to leave the hospital on a certain day, remember that it may take extra time to make all the arrangements.
It’s a good idea to ask a family member or friend to help you leave the hospital. You may need someone to drive you home.
If you’re going to another facility or aren’t able to make transportation arrangements, a care manager will assist you.
You are responsible for all items and valuables you bring to the hospital. BID Plymouth is not responsible for replacing lost, misplaced, stolen or damaged personal items. We offer these tips:
- Clothing. Ask a family member to take your clothes home. We provide robes, gowns and slippers for all patients. Before you leave the hospital, ask a family member to bring you clothes to wear.
- Dentures. Tell your nurse if you wear a bridge or dentures. We’ll provide a storage cup labeled with your name. To avoid losing your dentures, always place them in the storage cup.
- Eyeglasses and contacts. If you wear eyeglasses, bring an eyeglass case labeled with your name. Don’t leave eyeglasses out on tables or trays. If you wear contact lenses, be sure to bring a storage container labeled with your name.
- Hearing aids. If you wear hearing aids, store them in the original container or ask your nurse for a container. We’ll label it with your name. Don’t leave your hearing aids unprotected on other surfaces.
- Medical devices. If you use a cane, crutch, home monitor, respiratory machine, walker or wheelchair, label it with your name and date of birth. Your nurse can give you a sticker label.
- Medications. If you bring medicine to the hospital, your nurse will return any unused portion when you leave.
If you lose or misplace any items, tell your caregiver. We make every effort to find and return items to you. If we find your belongings after you leave, we’ll contact you. If you don’t claim your items within 30 days, we will dispose of them.
We want you to be satisfied with your care. You may receive a written survey in the mail after you return home.
Please take time to share your concerns with us. All feedback helps us deliver the highest quality care. You can use the postage-paid envelope to return the survey. An outside company tabulates the results and shares them with us.
If you have a complaint, concern or compliment, contact our Patient Relations department.
Call 508-830-2521 or write to:
Patient Advocacy Office
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth
275 Sandwich St.
Plymouth, MA 02360
We encourage you to address your concerns with BID Plymouth first. But you do have the right to file a complaint with other agencies directly without first using our internal complaint process.
You also can file a formal grievance in writing or by phone with one of these agencies:
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Quality Complaint Unit
99 Chauncy St.
2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: 800-462-5540
Fax: 617-753-8165
Website
The Joint Commission
Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Phone: 800-994-6610
Fax: 630-792-5636
Website
Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine
Quality and Safety Division
200 Harvard Mill Square
Suite 330
Wakefield, MA 01880
Phone: 781-876-8296
Fax: 781-876-8384
Website
If you have Medicare, contact:
Livanta
BFCC-QIO Program Area 1
9090 Junction Drive
Suite 10
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701
Phone: 866-815-5440
Fax: 855-236-2423
TTY: 866-868-2289
Website
