Hospital papers
What Is a Discharge Summary?
Discharge summary · say it: DIS-charj SUM-uh-reeAlso written: discharge letter, discharge notes, hospital discharge summary, TTO letter
Short answer
A discharge summary is a document written when you leave hospital that explains why you were there, what was done, and what happens next.
What it means
When someone leaves hospital, the team usually writes a discharge summary. It is sent to the person's regular doctor and often given to the patient too.
It typically includes the reason for admission, the main diagnosis, tests and procedures done, medicines started, stopped or changed, and follow-up plans.
It is one of the most useful documents for understanding a hospital stay, but it can be full of abbreviations. It is reasonable to ask for any part to be explained.
Where you may see it
- Given at the end of a hospital stay
- Sent to your family doctor or GP
- Patient portals and medical record requests
📄 How it looks on a report
Medications on discharge: new - amlodipine; stopped - ibuprofen.
🙅 What it does not mean
- It is not always a complete record of everything that happened. It is a summary.
- It does not replace talking to your doctor. Ask about anything that is unclear.
- Medicine changes listed on it are meant to be followed, but check with your doctor or pharmacist if anything seems wrong.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
🧾 Reports where you will see “Discharge summary”
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🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Discharge summary” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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More words: hospital papers
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