My surgery is scheduled for next week and I'm kind of freaking out about how I'm going to get to and from the hospital. I'm not telling anyone about the surgery, so I have no one to drive me (plus all of my family is hundreds of miles away and I don't have any close friends in the area I would feel comfortable asking, even if it was something other than weight loss surgery). I live in a rural area about an hour from the hospital.

There is a home health care agency in a neighboring small town that also does housekeeping, and I have used their housekeeping services several times, so I know them a little and trust them. They are usually pretty flexible, accommodating, and reasonably priced. I figured I could get one of their caregivers to drive me, and I asked a few weeks ago, but they just responded this week and said they're not available the day of my surgery. I called another home healthcare agency near the hospital, and they said they can do it, but they would charge mileage plus an hourly rate -- which is fair, of course -- but the problem is that I don't know exactly when I am being discharged, so I would have to pay the hourly rate to have them available during a particular window, and I might not even necessarily get discharged during that window.

I am thinking about taking an Uber to the hospital, but I was under the impression that I couldn't take an Uber home because the hospital has to release me to someone's care and they have to sign something to say that. Is that true? How does that work? I've never had surgery before, or accompanied anyone else to surgery, so I have no idea. Help!

In my limited experience, hospitals usually discharge people between 2pm-3:30pm. Also, the hospital isn't going to kick you out if your ride isn't there yet. I would schedule them to pick you up at 3pm, and the day of discharge just let your nurses know that's what time you are being picked up and they should be able to make sure you are ready to leave by then.

Thanks, @ChubRub! Do you know anything about the discharge process, i.e., will the person picking me up have to come in the hospital, and will they have to sign something saying I’m released to their care?

When I have been discharged, no one has to sign anything, but a hospital employee took me to the exit and saw that I got into the "medical transport" vehicle. Also, where I live, there are taxicab companies that qualify as "medical transport" though Uber and Lyft do not. You might check the regulations in your area.

I would tell a friend so they can help you get home, settled in and check on you for a few days.

They told me in the morning that I was being discharged so I called my daughter and she came over. We left about 11 am.

They don't make anyone sign you out. But the hospital and my bariatric center stated, I would not be able to leave in a Lyft or Uber.

1 hour ago, BigSue said:

Thanks, @ChubRub! Do you know anything about the discharge process, i.e., will the person picking me up have to come in the hospital, and will they have to sign something saying I’m released to their care?

I took a car service to the hospital because I had to be there so early and have young kids.

My husband and kids came to pick me up on discharge. They weren’t even allowed to come inside due to COVID. I walked out with a nurse to the main entrance, got in, and we left. She asked no questions and there was nothing for my husband to sign.

2 hours ago, BigSue said:

Thanks, @ChubRub! Do you know anything about the discharge process, i.e., will the person picking me up have to come in the hospital, and will they have to sign something saying I’m released to their care?

Agree with others that person picking you up will not have to sign anything. Good luck w/ everything!