Preparing to Leave

Most patients are discharged from the Health Centre by 10 a.m. We recommend you arrange for a family member or friend to take you home.

Please make sure you have all your belongings and hospital cards as well as aftercare instructions and prescriptions as needed. It is important that you understand all instructions about your medication, diet, activity and return appointments.

If you are unsure about anything, ask your nurse before you leave.

Patient transportation
The patient/family/Substitute Decision Maker (SDM) is responsible for arranging and paying for patient transportation if required upon discharge or during the patient's stay, unless transportation is determined by the physician to be medically necessary, i.e. inter-facility transport for treatment or diagnostics, critically ill or unstable patients who require a nurse, emergency medical attendant or other primary care provider on route.

Non-emergency/non-medically necessary patient transportation includes transportation to:

• home
• long-term care facility
• retirement home
• rest home
• nursing home
• home or residence for psychiatric patients
• transportation to appointments booked prior to admission
• transportation to another facility for non-medically necessary procedures or uninsured services (the patient/family or SDM must arrange for transportation to and from the appointment)

The patient/family/Substitute Decision Maker (SDM) will be advised of their transfer options, which include: family member, taxi, handi-van, Home at Last (HAL), or a Non-Urgent Transfer Service (numerous vendors available)

Discharge time is 1000 hours; the hospital will not hold the patient bed to accommodate late travel arrangements. The Social Worker and/or Charge Nurse will work with the patient to support a smooth transition.

Upon discharge, the patient will be asked to wait in the unit lounge until their transportation arrives. If a patient cannot wait safely in the lounge and transportation has not been arranged by the patient to accommodate discharge, PRHC can arrange transportation for the patient at the patient's expense.

Click here for a list of FAQs about non-urgent patient transfer.

Please click here for more information about the Home at Last (HAL) program.