special subjects
Being Discharged From the Hospital
Obtaining medications
Most people are given prescriptions for new medications when they are discharged from the hospital. Sometimes people have trouble obtaining these medications. For example, their preferred pharmacy may not stock the medication, or their insurance may not cover the costs and they cannot afford the medications. Sometimes people get their medications through a mail-order pharmacy, and it takes several days or a week to get the medications. This delay can be dangerous because some medications (such as antibiotics or anticoagulants, which prevent blood from clotting) must be started or continued immediately after discharge, and to prevent serious complications, people must not miss a dose. To avoid any delay, people should ask their doctor to electronically submit or fax the prescription to a local pharmacy, and they should call the pharmacy before leaving the hospital to verify that they can obtain the medication immediately. A social worker can help with this process and can help people find solutions if paying for the medications is a problem. 