Drop Down Menu- Congestive Heart Failure

For the patient and family members to be fully prepared to meet their needs following hospitalization, it is very important for each of the following questions to be answered before the patient goes home. Please discuss each of these questions with the discharge nurse or others before the patient leaves the hospital.

1. Insurance, Medications and Follow-up appointments

  • Does the patient’s insurance plan pay for ALL of the medicationsthat are prescribed? If not, do you know how much they will cost?
  • Are all the medications and instructions on how and when to take them written out in a way you can understand?
  • Has an appointment been made for a visit to the patient’s primarycare doctor within 3 days following discharge from the hospital?
  • If the patient currently smokes cigarettes, did anyone provide any new information or medication to help the patient stop smoking? If not, ask for information

2. Managing at home after being in a hospital for the patient and family members:

  • Do you know what symptoms to watch for to make sure that the patient doesn’t have to go back to the hospital
  • Do you know the side effects of all the medications that are prescribed, both new ones and ones that have taken before?
  • Do you know how the patient will manage with getting ready for bed, sleeping and getting around at night
  • Will the patient be able to get to the toilet without assistance?
  • Will the patient need support equipment at home, such as a walker, portable toilet or wheelchair?
  • If there are pets at home, have you made arrangements for someone to help take care of them?
  • Will the patient need help with paying bills, such as utility bills, rent or mortgage?
  • Will the patient need financial assistance with meeting monthly payments following discharge from the hospital?
  • Will the patient need help with daily chores or house keeping?
  • Do family/friends need to be contacted to tell them when the patient comes home from the hospital?
  • Does the patient need information about getting a personal alarm or other services such as visits from a nurse?
  • Have plans been made on how the patient will get home from the hospital?
  • Does the patient regularly care for someone else (ill spouse, child)? If yes, have arrangements been made to care for the person while the patient is in the hospital and recuperating?

  • Does the patient drive a car? If yes, be sure to discuss with hospital staff whether and when it is safe to drive the car.
  • Is the patient able to prepare food? Will the patient need assistance with food preparation? Will the patient need assistance with feeding? Has a plan been made for shopping for groceries or obtaining meals?

Heart failure and any Heart Problem or Hypertension

  • Does the patient have a bathroom scale at home? If not, it is very important to have one – preventing weight gain will help the patient avoid going back into the hospital
  • Does the patient have instructions on what time of day to weigh and how often to weigh?
  • If the patient currently smokes cigarettes, did anyone provide any new information or medication to help the patient stop smoking? If not, ask for information

FHA Collaborative on Reducing Readmissions, Kick-Off Meeting