Emergency Department Discharge Instructions (Patient-Facing)

A plain-language Emergency Department discharge summary for patients and caregivers. Emphasizes clear next steps, medication changes, follow-up timing, and tiered return precautions aligned with health literacy best prac…

Document Type

patient instructions / Discharge Instructions

Specialties

Emergency Medicine

Created by Augustun

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Emergency Department Discharge Instructions

Patient Name: [Patient full name]

Date of Birth: [DOB]

Facility: [Emergency Department name and location]

Visit Date: [Visit date]

Discharge Date/Time: [Discharge date and time]

Reason for Visit: [Chief complaint in the patient's own words]

Summary

(One sentence covering the working diagnosis, the single most important next step, and the top reason to return immediately.)

[Summary sentence]

What to Do Now

(Display in a box if supported. Use 5–7 bullets maximum.)

[Main diagnosis or symptoms treated in plain language]
[Key medication change: what to start, stop, or change]
[Who to follow up with and by when]
[Top return precaution 1]
[Top return precaution 2]
[Top return precaution 3]
[Whether any test results are still pending and how patient will receive them]

What We Think Is Going On

(Use 1–2 sentences. If diagnosis is uncertain, acknowledge this and direct patient to follow the return precautions.)

[Diagnosis or working diagnosis explained in plain language, including what tests showed and what was ruled out if relevant]

Your Medicines

(Use time-of-day anchors: morning, noon, evening, bedtime. Define medical terms in parentheses.)

Medicines to Start:

[Medicine name and strength] — [Purpose in plain language]. Take [dose] [time of day]. Take for [duration]. [Key warnings if any].
(Repeat as needed. If none, write: None.)

Medicines to Stop or Change:

[Medicine name] — [Stop or change instruction] because [reason in plain language].
(Repeat as needed. If none, write: None.)

Medicines to Continue:

[Medicine name and dose if relevant]
(Repeat as needed. If none, write: None.)

(Include safety reminder only if applicable, such as: Do not drive or operate machinery for [timeframe] after taking [sedating medicine]. Complete the full antibiotic course even if you feel better.)

Follow-Up and Home Care

Scheduled appointment: [Clinician or clinic], [date/time], [location], [phone]. (If none scheduled, write: None.)
Appointment to schedule: Call [clinician or clinic] by [deadline] to be seen within [timeframe]. Tell them you were seen in the ED for [reason]. (If none needed, write: None.)
Home care: [Activity guidance, wound care, diet, symptom management as relevant to diagnosis]

Results Still Pending

(If no pending results, write "None" and omit the rest of this section.)

[Test name] — Results expected by [date or timeframe]. [Who] will contact you by [phone / patient portal]. If you do not hear by then, call [contact number].

When to Get Help

Call 911 now if:

[Severe chest pain or pressure]
[Trouble breathing or shortness of breath]
[Sudden weakness, numbness, or confusion]
[Fainting or passing out]

Return to the ED right away if:

[Diagnosis-specific red flag 1]
[Diagnosis-specific red flag 2]
[Diagnosis-specific red flag 3]
(Add additional red flags as needed for diagnosis.)

Call your doctor within [timeframe] if:

[Lower-acuity concern 1]
[Lower-acuity concern 2]
(If none, write: None.)

Because some problems can get worse after you leave, return for any new, worsening, or concerning symptoms—even if they are not listed here.

Questions?

ED phone: [Phone number], [hours]
Nurse advice line: [Phone number and hours, if available]
Test results and records: [Patient portal instructions or medical records phone number]

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