Following a stay in hospital due to heart failure (HF), you will be discharged if you no longer need a high level of medical attention. 

Being discharged from hospital may not mean you are fully recovered. Your HF will still need to be very carefully managed once you leave hospital. It’s important to schedule follow up visits with your healthcare professional after discharge, to check in on your progress and adjust your treatment plan, as needed.

You should always follow your healthcare professional’s guidance exactly as recommended, including continuing to take any medicines that you are prescribed after you leave hospital. Do not stop taking a medicine unless you have discussed it with your healthcare professional first, even if you’re feeling well.

Information should be shared by your hospital healthcare team with your outside healthcare professional

• Your hospital healthcare team should communicate with your regular physician about your needs following discharge. Before you leave hospital, ask the healthcare professional treating you there when they will be contacting your regular physician to update them on your worsening HF event and the treatment you have received. With this information, your regular physician will be able to ensure your treatment is updated, if necessary.

Scheduling follow-up visits with your healthcare professional

• Following discharge from hospital, it is also important to schedule and attend regular follow-up visits with your healthcare professional, to monitor your treatment plan and help ensure your HF does not progress further.
• Patients who have follow-up visits with their healthcare professional after being hospitalized for a worsening event, tend to do better and are less likely to need to go back into hospital. 
• During follow-up visits with your healthcare professional, be ready to let them know about any changes in your symptoms or your ability to perform normal daily tasks and come prepared with any questions regarding your HF management plan.

Consider using a checklist like this one to download and bring to your follow-up visits, so you can remember the questions and topics you want to cover with your healthcare professional.

Friends and relatives can be a source of support after you have been discharged from hospital, for example by accompanying you to follow-up consultations and helping you to track symptoms.