To facilitate your discharge after your hospital stay, we begin preparing for it as soon as you arrive and reevaluate it throughout your stay. This allows us to factor in extra time for administrative procedures, for example, if you have arranged follow-up care in a rehab facility. We will therefore ask you about your current plans and needs as soon as you arrive. We will help you prepare for your discharge, including your loved ones if need be, in order to facilitate your return to daily life.
Your discharge from hospital
Your discharge is coordinated in agreement with your doctor. In general, our hospital departments aim to discharge patients before 10 a.m.
Discharge against medical advice
You are free to leave the hospital at any time, including against medical advice. In this case, the care team will inform you of the risks involved and ask you to sign a self-discharge form.
Leaving with all your personal belongings and necessary documents
Please make sure that you have all your personal belongings and necessary documents from the hospital with you before you leave. You will find a useful list on our "Hospitalization - Prepare your admission" page.
Documents provided before your discharge
You will be given a series of documents by your doctor and care team before you are discharged. You must check that you have everything you need before leaving. These documents are:
- discharge summary
- medical certificate or sick leave certificate (if applicable)
- prescriptions for medications (if applicable)
- referral for physical therapy and/or home care services (if applicable)
- follow-up consultation with your primary doctor or at the hospital (if applicable)
- follow-up consultation with specialist members of the care team (if applicable): for example, nutritionist, physical therapist, specialist nurse in orthopedic follow-up care or wound care.
Your primary doctor is sent a medical report in the form of a discharge summary. This letter is also sent to the doctor who arranged your hospital stay unless you advise us otherwise. You may request a copy of this letter. We can also provide you with a copy of the different results of the tests and examinations carried out during your hospital stay if you request this from your doctor.
Your follow-up care
You have two options when you are discharged from hospital: you can go straight home or move to a rehabilitation facility. This decision mainly depends on your health status.
Going home
If you are well enough to do so, and if family members can support you whenever possible, you can go straight home after you are discharged. Your primary doctor will take over from the hospital care team, if necessary. This option is always preferable as it helps patients return to normal life. In order for your return home to be as smooth as possible, there is also the option of a home help and care network in the canton of Geneva that offers a range of services, including:
- dressing changes
- toileting
- housework
- meal deliveries.
Please ask a member of your care team for more information about these services and the contact details of the home care providers. These external care services may be reimbursed depending on your health insurance coverage.
If necessary, we can arrange for one of our specialist partners in patient transportation to take you home safely. There is a charge for this service and you will be sent a bill.
Follow-up care in a rehabilitation facility
Depending on your condition, you may need to stay in a rehabilitation center. Various facilities may be proposed to you but they depend on your specific care needs, where you live, your health insurance coverage, and also the availability of the centers. Our follow-up care coordination team is available to help you decide and support you with the administrative process. Please contact +41 22 719 60 15.
Our care team can arrange transport from Hôpital de La Tour to the rehabilitation center (this may be covered by your health insurance provider). You may not necessarily go home before going to the rehabilitation center, so it is important to plan ahead to ensure that you have all the personal belongings you may need.
Please contact your health insurance provider for more information about receiving care at a rehabilitation center.
Your physical therapy
You may need to have physical therapy after staying in hospital or at a rehabilitation center. These sessions will be prescribed by your doctor or surgeon.
Hôpital de La Tour has a physical therapy and rehabilitation center as well as a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation department and the respective team will take over your care depending on your specific needs. Physical therapists from our physical therapy and rehabilitation center also work in three Harmony Fitness centers in Meyrin, Versoix, and Gland to offer rehabilitation closer to your home (read our news article to find out more).
Contact the physical therapy and rehabilitation center
+41 22 719 67 67
physio@latour.ch
Contact the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation department
+41 22 719 62 42
secretariat-physiotherapiecardioresp@latour.ch
If you need a physical therapist for at-home care, you can contact PhysioGenève on +41 79 440 66 76.
Your opinion matters
Collecting feedback from our patients is extremely important to us. Your opinion on your stay is essential for us to continue improving our services. If you gave us your email address, you will receive a link to a questionnaire a few days after you are discharged. This short questionnaire will take less than five minutes to complete and your responses will be treated anonymously.