Before you leave

Before you leave, you should obtain the following information from your doctor or the nurse in charge of your ward:

• any follow-up outpatient appointments
• medications
• arrangements for community support services
• continuing treatments
• transport.

Before you leave you should also make sure that:

• you have all your personal belongings
• you have signed all claim forms and any fees due are paid
• you have given us your correct forwarding address
• you have obtained relevant medical certificates from the doctor
• all items held for you have been collected
• you know what medication you need to take, as well as any follow up services you need.

Discharge against medical advice

With few exceptions (as in the case of infectious diseases), you have the right to leave hospital when you choose. This may be a serious step when taken against the advice of your doctor, and could pose a threat to your wellbeing.

If you choose to be discharged under these circumstances, you will be asked to sign a ‘disclaimer’ form, and the responsibility for this action will rest with you. However, if your condition does not improve or if it causes you concern, you should not hesitate to seek further medical advice or to return to the hospital’s emergency department.

Secure your health information with My Health Record

Are you familiar with My Health Record? It’s a safe and secure place to keep your key health information. Your health care providers will upload clinical documents such as your discharge summary, pathology and radiology reports, immunisations, specialist letters, E-Referrals, and Medicines, so you can view it all in one place.

You, as a consumer, have control over what information is in My Health Record. You can choose who can access it, delete or restrict documents, with the option to permanently delete your My Health Record at any time. To find out more about the benefits of My Health Record visit My Health Record (national electronic health record) | Queensland Health