Going Home 

Discharge Planning

Since many patients are admitted to Howard University Hospital throughout the day, it is important that those no longer needing hospitalization be discharged smoothly and in a timely manner. We ask that you arrange to meet our discharge time of 10:00 a.m. This helps us get ready for the next patient.

Discharge instructions, dictated by your physicians, will be given to you by your nurse. Some patients will need additional treatment or care following discharge. Please ask your physician about resources available to you.

Please be sure you have arranged for appropriate transportation to return to your home. A staff person will escort you by wheelchair to the patient pick-up area located in front of the hospital. If your transportation arrangements are delayed, we can provide an area for you to wait in the hospital.

When you are discharged, you and/or your family members will receive instructions on the recovery process.

If you need to talk with the financial counselor, the phone number is 202-865-1262.

Things to remember before leaving:

  • Ask your doctor about any special diet or medication needs.
  • Discuss any limitations or follow-up treatments that might be necessary.
  • Speak with a financial counselor about your hospital bill.
  • Make sure you have all of your belongings.
  • Be sure to take your discharge instructions and prescriptions.
  • If you are wearing monitoring devices, please have your nurse determine if they should be removed before your departure.

Patient Opinion and Surveys

Our health care team is dedicated to providing quality care in a friendly and caring environment. We want your hospital stay to be a pleasant one, and we welcome your comments and suggestions.

Thirty days after being discharged, you may receive a telephone call asking you to rate your experience at our hospital. The call will be made by Professional Research Consultants, a company contracted by the hospital to help us gather feedback from patients to improve our performance and provide the highest quality of care to patients.

A random selection of patients is called. These patients are then asked a number of questions about their hospital stay.