Going Home
When treatment is complete, we'll discharge your child from our medical center. We know you're eager to get home, so we'll try to speed along the process.
Transportation from our Prosper medical center
It's important to plan early for your transportation home. Please make sure you have the right type of car seat for your child.
Texas law requires all children must ride in approved car or booster seats until they are 8 years old or taller than 4 feet 9 inches. All other passengers must use a seat belt, regardless of where they sit in the vehicle.
We also recommend that children always ride in the back seat. If you don't have a car seat, please tell your nurse.
Discharge
Discharge can be a confusing time. You may receive instructions, prescriptions and referrals for additional medical services or equipment. You may also need to schedule a follow-up appointment.
Our MyCookChildren's patient portal can help you track all your child's discharge information. When you download the app on your mobile device, you have that information at your fingertips 24/7.
If you have any questions, please ask before you leave or call your doctor's office and we'll help in any way we can. You can also message your health care team using the patient portal.
On-site retail pharmacy
You can fill your prescriptions at our retail pharmacy located on the lower level of our Prosper medical center. If you'd like your prescriptions ready for pick up, let your doctor or nurse know.
Our pharmacy offers compounding, flavor-blended medications, over-the-counter medicines and medication check-ups. It's important to always give medicine to your child exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Home health
In some cases, your child may need services or equipment at home. Cook Children's Home Health offers:
- Medical equipment
- Nursing
- Orthotics and prosthetics, including cranial helmets
- Pharmacy
- Rehabilitation
Your case manager or social worker will connect you with home health services.
Education
Before you go home, we'll give you a discharge teaching sheet. This sheet explains:
- What you need to know about taking care of your child
- What you should do if your child has problems, such as a fever, pain or vomiting
Many parents find discharge instructions confusing at times. Please, always ask questions and tell us if you don't understand our answers.
Our method for teaching patients and families is called Teach Back. It helps you understand health information in a way that makes sense to you. In Teach Back, we may ask you to:
- Demonstrate what to do if certain issues arise, such as pain or a fever
- Pretend you are home and that we are a family member or neighbor
- Show us or tell us how to care for your child at home
Just because you're leaving the medical center, doesn't mean we're leaving you. Once you're home, you'll discover that we're still here to help you on your child's medical journey.
Finding health information you can trust can be confusing and overwhelming. Let us help. A Cook Children's librarian can send you up to date information from reliable sources.
Click on "Ask a Librarian" to request information about a condition, procedure, medicine or other health related questions.
Going home with medical technology? We can help. Before you leave, be sure to stop by Peaks Tech Zone and ask one of our Techsperts to assist with any training or questions you may have.
Visit Peaks Tech Zone Email a question to a Techspert
Billing
Cook Children's will bill your insurance company. You may also receive separate bills from doctors who participated in your child's care, such as radiologists, pathologists, anesthesiologists or surgeons.
For questions relating to your account or to request an itemized statement, please visit our billing and insurance page or call Patient Accounting at 682-885-4432 or 1-888-852-6635.