- The FDA says a medication list should cover prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements, plus allergies and emergency contacts.
- MedlinePlus advises asking the hospital to highlight new medicines and any that need to be stopped or changed.
- Group medicines by time of day. AHRQ’s own discharge guide uses morning, afternoon, evening and bedtime.
- Update the list whenever something changes, and give a copy to everyone who helps.
- The one-page PDF is for your family to keep. Nothing on it is sent to us.
In this article
- What should a medication list include?
- How do you mark what changed after the hospital?
- How do you fill in the list, step by step?
- What should you ask the pharmacist?
- Who should have a copy?
- How do you keep the medicines themselves organized?
- When should you call the doctor or pharmacist, and when 911?
- How does WholeHealth Concierge help families with medications after a hospital stay?
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
The PDF is one page, letter size, with room for twelve medicines and four stopped ones. It is for your family to fill in by hand and keep. Nothing on it is sent to WholeHealth Concierge.
What should a medication list include?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s guide to creating and keeping a medication list says it should cover prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements, along with emergency contacts and allergies. For each medicine, the FDA lists the name, the strength, what it is taken for, and when, how and how much is taken. The National Institute on Aging adds the doctor who prescribed it. One row on the printable list looks like this:
The top of the page has space for allergies, the pharmacy, and the doctor to call with medicine questions. The time-of-day columns follow the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s own discharge guide, “Taking Care of Myself: A Guide for When I Leave the Hospital”, which groups medicines into morning, afternoon, evening and bedtime and asks for the generic and brand name of each.
How do you mark what changed after the hospital?
MedlinePlus advises families leaving the hospital to have the provider highlight any new medicines and any that need to be stopped or changed. MedlinePlus also notes that in the hospital your loved one will likely see new providers who are not familiar with their health history, and who may prescribe a medicine that interacts with ones they already take.
- Lay out the discharge papers, every bottle in the house, and the list from before the hospital stay.
- Circle New, Changed or Same in the “since the hospital” column for each medicine.
- Before you leave, ask the nurse what time each medicine was last given today, and write it in the “last dose in the hospital” column, so the first dose at home is not doubled or skipped.
- Move stopped medicines to the stopped section at the bottom of the page, with the date and who stopped them. Do not just cross them out.
- If the discharge papers and the bottles disagree, call the doctor or pharmacist before the next dose. MedlinePlus says do not stop taking any medicine unless your provider tells you to stop.
Our hospital discharge checklist covers the medication questions to ask before you leave, and our guide to hospital discharge papers explains where the medication list sits in the packet.
“Do not stop taking any medicine unless your provider tells you to stop.”
How do you fill in the list, step by step?
- Gather everything. The National Institute on Aging says to mention everything, even ones you use infrequently, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies.
- Write one row per medicine. Copy the name and strength from the pharmacy label, not from memory.
- Mark the times of day. Check off each dose when it is taken. If a label says “four times a day,” ask whether that means around the clock or while awake; it is one of the NIA’s suggested pharmacist questions.
- Mark what changed since the hospital stay, as above.
- Review it with the pharmacist. MedlinePlus advises reviewing the list with providers and pharmacists, and the NIA suggests filling prescriptions at one pharmacy where possible so the records are in one place.
- Make copies. The NIA suggests keeping one copy in a safe place at home and one in a wallet or purse.
What should you ask the pharmacist about each new medicine?
The National Institute on Aging’s list of questions for the pharmacist fits on the back of the page. The ones that change what you write on the list:
- Should the medicine be taken with food or not, and is there anything to avoid eating or drinking?
- How much, how many times a day, and at what times?
- What does “as needed” mean for this medicine?
- What should we do if a dose is forgotten?
- Is it safe to drive while taking it?
Who should have a copy?
The FDA says to share the list with a trusted relative, friend or caregiver, including anyone who goes to appointments or may speak for your loved one in an emergency. MedlinePlus says to give all providers a copy, and the NIA mentions physical therapists and dentists as well as doctors. Bring it to every appointment and to any future hospital stay, and update it the same day something changes. The FDA names a new prescription, a different dosage or a stopped medicine as the moments to update.
Share the list, and keep it current
Sources: U.S. Food and Drug Administration; National Institute on Aging.
How do you keep the medicines themselves organized?
The list is the record; the routine is what gets doses taken on time. The National Institute on Aging notes that some people use meals or bedtime as reminders, and others use charts, calendars, weekly pill boxes, timers or reminder apps. MedlinePlus says a pill organizer may help and suggests trying more than one method to see what works. If you fill a weekly pill box, fill it from the list, not from memory, and refill it on the same day each week.
Stopped medicines need a plan too. The NIA advises checking expiration dates and discarding unused or expired medicines as soon as possible, and asking the doctor or pharmacist how to discard them safely. Keeping stopped bottles out of the daily spot is a simple way to keep them out of the pill box.
For where the medicines should live in the house, our guide to getting the home ready before a loved one comes home covers setting up the medication spot.
When should you call the doctor or pharmacist, and when 911?
MedlinePlus says to contact the provider if you have questions or you are confused about the directions, or if there are side effects. Write the number for medicine questions at the top of the list so nobody has to search for it. For a medical emergency, call 911.
- You have questions or you are confused about the directions.
- There are side effects.
- The discharge papers and the bottles disagree. Call before the next dose.
- On a blood thinner, such as warfarin, apixaban (Eliquis) or rivaroxaban (Xarelto): bloody or dark urine or stool, a lot of bruising, or bleeding such as nosebleeds or bleeding gums.
- Trouble breathing.
- Swelling of the face, eyes or tongue.
- Fainting.
- Being very hard to wake, or new confusion.
- Any other medical emergency.
Questions and side effects: MedlinePlus, “Taking multiple medicines safely”. Blood thinners: MedlinePlus, “Taking warfarin”, “Apixaban” and “Rivaroxaban”. Emergency signs: MedlinePlus, “Recognizing medical emergencies”, with the American College of Emergency Physicians’ warning signs. These lists are examples, not every emergency.
How does WholeHealth Concierge help families with medications after a hospital stay?
A list only helps if someone keeps it current. For families in Orange County, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire who want a nurse involved in the first days home, a WholeHealth Concierge nurse can review the discharge instructions with you, help organize medications, and monitor for early warning signs. Read how our nurse-led discharge support works or our guide to coming home from the hospital. Hours and pricing are set during a free consultation.
Frequently asked questions
What should be on a medication list for an older loved one?
Every prescription and over-the-counter medicine, vitamin and supplement, with the name, strength, what it is for, and when, how and how much to take it, according to the FDA. Add allergies, emergency contacts, the pharmacy, and the doctor who prescribed each medicine.
How do I track medication changes after a hospital stay?
Ask the hospital to highlight any new medicines and any that need to be stopped or changed, as MedlinePlus advises. Then mark each row on the list New, Changed or Same, and move stopped medicines to the stopped section. If the discharge papers and the bottles at home disagree, call the doctor or pharmacist before the next dose.
Is there a free printable medication list?
Yes. The one-page list on this page is free to download and print. It is for your family to fill in by hand and keep. Nothing on it is sent to WholeHealth Concierge.
How often should a medication list be updated?
Whenever something changes, such as a new prescription, a different dose or a stopped medicine, the FDA says. Review it with each provider at appointments, and bring it to any hospital stay.
Should over-the-counter medicines and supplements go on the list?
Yes. The FDA, MedlinePlus and the National Institute on Aging all say to include over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and supplements. The FDA notes that some medications should not be used with other drugs, foods or supplements.
How do you make a medication checklist?
Write one row per medicine with its name, strength, what it is for, and when, how and how much to take it. The FDA says you can write a simple list on paper, use an app, download a form online, or get a list template from your health care provider. Copy each name and strength from the pharmacy label, not from memory, and add allergies and emergency contacts.
Where do I get a medication list?
Start with the hospital discharge papers. MedlinePlus says a discharge plan should include a list of all your medicines and how and when to take them. The FDA also suggests getting a list template from your health care provider or downloading a form online. The one-page list on this page is free to download and print.
Sources
Each source below was opened and read on the date shown. The printable list follows the fields these sources name.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Create and Keep a Medication List for Your Health,” content current as of January 8, 2025. fda.gov. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “Taking Care of Myself: A Guide for When I Leave the Hospital.” ahrq.gov. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- MedlinePlus, “Leaving the hospital: your discharge plan.” medlineplus.gov. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- MedlinePlus, “Taking multiple medicines safely.” medlineplus.gov. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- National Institute on Aging, “Taking Medicines Safely as You Age.” nia.nih.gov. Accessed October 10, 2026.
- MedlinePlus, “Taking warfarin.” medlineplus.gov. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- MedlinePlus Drug Information, “Apixaban” (last revised October 15, 2025). medlineplus.gov. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- MedlinePlus Drug Information, “Rivaroxaban” (last revised March 15, 2026). medlineplus.gov. Accessed October 12, 2026.
- MedlinePlus, “Recognizing medical emergencies” (warning signs from the American College of Emergency Physicians). medlineplus.gov. Accessed October 12, 2026.