Written by Ana Cvoro, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP
A pharmacist’s guide to your ER discharge – designed for patients and caregivers to reduce confusion and feel confident after an ER visit.
No one plans to visit the emergency room (ER), so chances are, if you are there, you have been caught off guard. Luckily, this time you have been discharged – but what are the next steps you should take?
As an ER pharmacist for over five years, I have seen many patients come and go through the emergency department. These patients have met many fates, but consider yourself a lucky one if you are handed a thick stack of paper and told to check in with your primary care doctor in a few days. You may not have received all the answers you were looking for during your visit; you are probably still hurting, hungry, and still wearing that sticky paper wristband – but you are on the road to recovery.
Leaving the ER can feel confusing, rushed, and overwhelming. You may be hurting, exhausted, and unsure of what to do next. This is a guide to change that. As an ER pharmacist, I have created a clear, simple checklist to help you feel confident about what happens after discharge – from understanding your paperwork to knowing when to follow up or seek care again.
Before diving into discharge paperwork, it is important to know when care should be accessed at an urgent care versus ER. Understanding the difference can help you get the right care more efficiently and save you time and money.
Go to the ER for life-threatening or serious symptoms, such as:
Go to urgent care for non-life threatening but urgent symptoms, such as:
1. Review Your Discharge Paperwork: Skim at least the first one to two pages, which usually contain the most critical information. Focus on:
Tip: Most often medication prescriptions are sent electronically, but do not be afraid to ask for paper prescriptions before leaving the ER.
2. Understand New Medications: If you were prescribed something new, you likely received the first dose of it in the ER. While you can go back and ask the ER nurse more questions, your community pharmacist is your best resource. They can counsel you on:
3. Ask to Speak with the ER Pharmacist (if one is available): Some ERs have a specialized pharmacist available to assist with medication-related questions. Do not hesitate to ask for them. Common situations I have helped with as an ER pharmacist:
4. Know When to Return to the ER: It is hard to generalize “red flags” to look for after discharge since symptoms depend on the specific condition that brought you there in the first place, but common reasons to return to the ER include:
Tip: These are often the same symptoms that may have brought you to the in originally.
5. Follow Up with Your Primary Care Doctor: Most discharge instructions recommend following up within about one week, regardless of the reason for your ER visit. It is important to update your primary care doctor about your recent care, as they are the ones who are going to continue to manage your condition out of the hospital, and hopefully prevent any further ER visits. For your visit with them, be prepared to bring:
6. Follow Up with Specialists as Needed: If your ER visit was for a specific type of care, you will likely need to follow up with a specialist as well as an:
To ensure a safe recovery at home
Recovery does not stop at discharge. Please use this guide as a resource for what to do next. Do not forget to get the support you need from your pharmacy team and care providers.
References:
