Packing for a hospital stay is easier when you know what the hospital will provide and what it will not. A short, well-chosen bag makes admission smoother, keeps your important information at hand, and helps you feel more comfortable during your stay. This guide covers a planned admission, such as surgery or childbirth, and what a family member can bring if the stay was unexpected.
This is general information. Your hospital may have its own list, especially for surgery, maternity or psychiatric units, so check with them. In an emergency, do not delay care to pack: call 911.
Documents and information
These are the items that matter most:
- Photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport
- Insurance cards, including Medicare, Medicaid, supplemental and prescription cards
- A list of your medications, with doses and how often you take them, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements
- A list of allergies, especially to medications, latex or foods
- Your medical history summary: major diagnoses, past surgeries and recent test results if they were done elsewhere
- Names and phone numbers of your doctors and of the family members or friends you want contacted
- Advance directive documents, such as a living will and a health care power of attorney, if you have them
- Any paperwork the hospital sent you, such as pre-admission forms or instructions
Under the federal Patient Self-Determination Act, hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid must ask adult patients whether they have an advance directive and give information about their rights. Bringing a copy saves time and makes sure your wishes are on file.
Medications
Bring your medication list, and ask the hospital whether to bring the medications themselves. Many hospitals prefer to dispense medications from their own pharmacy and will ask you to send your own home. Bring them in their original containers if requested. Specialty medications, inhalers or insulin pumps may be handled differently, so ask in advance.
Comfort items
| Item | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Loose, comfortable clothes for going home | Easy to put on after surgery or with bandages |
| Non-slip socks or slippers | Hospital floors can be slippery and falls are a known risk |
| A robe or cardigan | Hospital gowns are thin and rooms can be cool |
| Glasses, hearing aids and dentures, with their cases | Label the cases with your name, since these are often lost |
| Phone and an extra-long charging cable | Outlets are often far from the bed |
| Basic toiletries | Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, lip balm, comb |
| Something to pass the time | A book, puzzle book, tablet or headphones |
| Earplugs and an eye mask | Hospitals are noisy and lights stay on |
| A notebook and pen | To write down questions and what your care team tells you |
Leave at home
- Jewelry, including wedding rings, which may need to be removed for surgery or imaging
- Large amounts of cash and credit cards beyond one card for small purchases
- Valuables of any kind
- Electrical items such as hair dryers or heaters, unless allowed
- Weapons, alcohol and recreational drugs
- Candles or anything with an open flame
If you arrive with valuables, ask whether the hospital can store them in a safe and get a receipt.
For specific kinds of stays
Surgery
Follow your pre-surgery instructions about eating, drinking and medications exactly. Remove nail polish and makeup if asked. Bring a support person who can drive you home, since you usually cannot drive after anesthesia.
Childbirth
Common additions include a car seat that is already installed, clothes for the baby, nursing bras, comfortable underwear and your birth preferences if you have written them down. See How to Choose a Hospital to Give Birth.
Children
Bring a favorite toy or blanket, familiar snacks if allowed, and something to do. Children's hospitals often have playrooms and child life specialists. See Children's Hospital vs Pediatric Unit.
Psychiatric units
Units often restrict belts, shoelaces, drawstrings, cords, glass and sharp objects for safety, and may limit phones. Call ahead for the unit's list. See How to Get Inpatient Mental Health Care.
If the admission was unexpected
When someone is admitted from the emergency department, a family member can bring the documents and comfort items above later. The most useful items to bring first are the medication list, glasses or hearing aids, a phone charger and contact numbers.
Before you go home
Ask for written discharge instructions, a list of any new or changed medications, follow-up appointments, and who to call with questions. If you were in the hospital under observation rather than as an inpatient, this can affect what Medicare covers afterward. See Observation vs Inpatient Status.