Guide
Organising care after hospital.
In short: talk to the hospital social service or discharge management early. If help will be needed permanently, apply to the long-term care insurance fund. Care counselling helps you plan the care.
Who is responsible for what?
Hospital: Hospital treatment includes discharge management (Section 39(1a) SGB V). It is meant to support the transition to care after the hospital stay. In many hospitals the social service takes this on. The hospital asks for your consent to discharge management.
Long-term care insurance fund: Benefits of long-term care insurance are granted on application (Section 33 SGB XI). The fund then has the care level assessed. The long-term care insurance fund is part of your health insurance fund; privately insured people contact their insurance company.
Care counselling: Anyone who has applied for or receives benefits of long-term care insurance is entitled to care counselling (Section 7a SGB XI). Ask your long-term care insurance fund for an appointment.
Care support centres: In many regions, care support centres give advice close to home (Section 7c SGB XI). Your long-term care insurance fund or your municipality can tell you whether there is one near you.
Doctor: Home nursing care, such as giving medication or changing dressings, is prescribed by a doctor (Section 37 SGB V). As part of discharge management the hospital can also prescribe for up to seven days after discharge.
If no care can be found: If no care can be organised after treatment despite searching, transitional care in hospital may be an option in certain cases (Section 39e SGB V), for a maximum of ten days. The hospital clarifies whether the requirements are met.
The next steps
1. Ask early
Ask for the social service in the first days. Say who supports at home and what has already been arranged.
2. Apply
If help will foreseeably be needed permanently, apply to the long-term care insurance fund. Relatives can help with a power of attorney.
3. Clarify the type of care
Home care (outpatient), short-term care, day/night care or permanent residential care: discuss what fits.
4. Contact providers
Contact several providers in your region. Clarify start, services and costs before you agree.
Checklist before discharge
These points should be settled before the day of discharge:
What this guide does not cover
This guide gives a general overview. It does not replace personal advice from your long-term care insurance fund, your health insurance fund or your doctor. Which benefits apply is decided by the insurance funds in each individual case.
Pflege Patienten is not an emergency or acute care service. In an emergency, call 112.
Read more: Find care for yourself or your relatives · Help and frequently asked questions
Sources
Section 39 SGB V (German Social Code, Book V) – hospital treatment and discharge management (German)
Section 37 SGB V – home nursing care (German)
Section 39e SGB V – transitional care in hospital (German)
Section 33 SGB XI – requirements for benefits (German)
Status
Pflege Patienten editorial team · Published 11 Oct 2026.
Editorial status: 11 October 2026. The linked sources were checked automatically. No independent professional or legal review of this article has taken place so far.
Further information: Federal Ministry of Health (German)
We deliberately do not state benefit amounts because they change. Your long-term care insurance fund or health insurance fund can tell you the current amounts.
Looking for care for a relative
One option besides contacting providers directly: on Pflege Patienten you describe the care need once and reach registered home care services and care providers in your region. Posting is free of charge.