After You Come Home from Heart Surgery: What to Expect

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Home Discharge

Most patients are discharged to home between 3 to 5 days after heart surgery. Have someone at home to assist you in the first few days after you return from the hospital. Your companion should not be afraid to leave you alone for periods of time.

Before discharge, you will receive:

A physical therapy walking program
Prescriptions for any medication you must take at home
a discharge plan from the social worker regarding rehabilitation or home care (if necessary)
discharge instructions from the nurse, cardiologist, PA, or surgeon

Recovering at Home

At least one follow-up visit with your surgeon and cardiologist is recommended within the first 4 to 6 weeks after discharge. To guarantee continuity of care, you should schedule an appointment with your referring or local cardiologist and internist as soon as possible after you leave the hospital. You will also have two telehealth visits: one 24 hours after discharge and another one week later.

Please click here to download the Post-Discharge Patient Pathway, outlining how to manage your recovery at home.

Por favor oprima aqui para descargar instrucciones despues de ser dado de alta describiendo el manejo de su recuperacion en la casa.

Discharge Planning Assistance

If you do not have a companion/family member to closely attend to you for a few days after you return home, please ask to see a social worker.

NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center social workers have a Master's Degree in Social Work and are state-certified.

As a member of the health care team, the social worker will assess and assist the patient and family in dealing with discharge planning, as well as non-medical needs and concerns related to illness. This may include meeting with the patient and family in individual or group sessions or helping to work out financial or insurance-related issues.

Social work services can be obtained in one of the following ways:

A social worker may visit routinely to determine whether you need help.
You or your family may request the services of a social worker by asking your nurse or Cardiac Education Coordinator, or by calling the Cardiac Social Worker directly at (212) 305-1969.

Discharge to a Facility

While most patients go directly home from the hospital, some may require home care, a rehabilitation facility, or other specialized facility. It is important to keep an open mind about what you will need at discharge to complete your recovery. In most instances, the decision to explore discharge alternatives is made after the operation:

Acute Rehabilitation: If a transfer to an acute rehabilitation facility is required, you must apply to three acute facilities. You will be transferred to the facility that has the first opening.
Sub-Acute Rehabilitation: If you cannot tolerate the three hours of intense therapy in an acute rehabilitation setting, sub-acute rehabilitation may be an option. This option offers one to two hours of therapy. You must apply to five sub-acute facilities, and you will be transferred to the facility that has the first opening.
Long-Term Care: If you require placement in a long-term care facility, the social worker will assist in identifying appropriate facilities and in the application process.

More Heart Surgery Guides

For more information, call us at (212) 305-2633 or use our appointment request form.