Your doctor will decide when you can be discharged from the hospital and will be informed at least one day in advance. In accordance with our policy, we ask you to depart before 11:00am on the discharge day for us to have the time to prepare the bed for another patient. Please note that an additional charge may be added to the bill of patients who stay in their rooms after 11:00am.
DISCHARGE DURING OFFICE HOURS
Monday to Friday, 7:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday, 7:00am to 1:30pm
Discharge can be a time-consuming process as your doctor must review one last time your medical record, check if all investigation results are back, issue your discharge prescription which must be prepared in the Central Pharmacy, as often as possible discharge is planned in advance to save time. Please be patient, the ward secretary will inform you once all your discharge documentation is ready, a detailed report of all charges will be given to you and payment can be processed. The discharge process can be completed by yourself or by a relative or a friend. Your ward secretary or Guest Relations Officer will be delighted to assist you should you require any help.
Payments are usually completed at the cashier on your ward or in the comfort of your room. Please provide the receipt(s) for the deposit(s) you have made and give it/them cashier in order to settle your bill(s).
If your insurance company has guaranteed your medical expenses, you will still need to checkout at the cashier to approve your charges and sign your bill. Some insurance companies (such as Pacific Cross, Hùng Vương, Dai-i-chi Life, Manulife, Generali, and others) may request final review and approval of hospitalisation charges before discharge, which can take up to two (2) additional hours or more, depending on your insurance.
DISCHARGE DURING OFF-HOURS
Discharge formalities must be completed at the Accident & Emergency Department cashier, located on the Ground Floor.
DISCHARGE MEDICATIONS
We want to ensure that you receive the best care and recover quickly following your discharge, and we do this in part by offering only medications that conform to international standards. At FV Hospital Pharmacy, all medications received are from approved suppliers, are stored in correct conditions and are guaranteed to meet manufacturers’ specifications and international standards.
Your prescription will be automatically sent to the pharmacist to be verified and your medications prepared. A pharmacist will deliver the medication in your room and explain the prescription: they will tell you what the medication is for, how and when to take it, the precautions of use and how to refill the prescription should such action be required.
WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE ON THE DAY OF YOUR DISCHARGE
- A prescription for medications, when necessary.
- A discharge summary, signed by your doctor.
- The results of imaging (X-rays, scans) and blood tests performed during your stay (including those performed outside FV Hospital). Note that we will ask you to sign for receipt of these items.
- An appointment card, if you require follow-up consultations with your doctor.
INFORMATION FOR INSURED PATIENTS
If you have a medical insurance, FV Insurance Department will contact your insurance company to request a letter of Guarantee of Payment (GOP) so the insurance will pay directly the hospital. The GOP indicates the amount of coverage by your insurance and/or the number of nights covered, this depends on your contract and usually comes with some exclusions.
Discharge Process
Despite providing a GOP many insurance companies require the hospital to provide additional documents before the patient is discharged, for a final inspection prior to issuing final payment approval. They include the detailed invoice, the tests and imaging results, the discharge summary, the hospitalisation certificate and the discharge prescription.
Most of the time insurance companies take 2 to 4 hours to review these documents and confirm the amount they will pay the hospital and the amount you will have to pay, if any. This could lead to the situation whereby you have to wait before being discharged, we can offer 4 options:
- Wait in the waiting room of the hospital until the insurance company approves final payment to complete the discharge procedure, and then you can leave. If you choose this option, you will not have to pay additional room fees.
- Wait in your hospital room until the insurance company approves final payment to complete the discharge procedure, and you can leave. If you choose this option, you might have to pay an additional room fee.
- Deposit an amount of money so can leave. After receiving a payment confirmation from the insurance company, we will inform you, and then either give you a refund after deducting the amount that the insurance company has approved to pay or request additional payment from you if the deposit is not enough to cover the amount you have to pay to the hospital.
- Alternatively, you can pay all hospital expenses by yourself and claim it back from your insurance company.
You should also contact your insurance company directly to request a quick review process and approval of payment as soon as possible.
Short Hospitalisations
Local insurance companies have different rules about short hospitalisations. Often a hospitalisation of less than 24 hours is considered outpatient treatment. If you have been admitted and your doctor allows you to be discharged early, less than 24 hours after your admission, you should check with your insurance company about this rule whether this short hospitalization is covered
If you have any questions regarding the coverage by your insurance company of your hospitalisation costs at FV Hospital, please contact FV Hospital Insurance Office on the Ground Floor, building F, by phone at (028) 54 11 34 51 or by email at insurance@fvhospital.com.
