Occupational Therapy — Discharge to GP after Total Hip Replacement
An occupational therapist discharges a 74-year-old woman to the GP following a total hip replacement. This beginner case requires communicating the hip precautions, the ADL status, and the home equipment provided so the GP has a complete picture of the patient's functional status at discharge.
Letter type
Discharge
Write to
General Practitioner
Target length
160–180 words
The case notes
Patient: Mrs Kathleen Doyle, 74 years old; right total hip replacement (posterior approach) yesterday; discharged home today with support from her husband
Hip precautions (12 weeks): Do not bend the right hip beyond 90 degrees; do not cross legs; do not twist or rotate the right hip inward; these precautions prevent posterior dislocation
ADL status: Independent in: walking with a frame (short distances), bed transfers with rail; Assistance required: dressing lower body (hip precautions prevent bending to put on socks/shoes); showering (showering stool provided)
Equipment provided: Walking frame; raised toilet seat (7 cm); showering stool; long-handled shoe horn and sock aid; bed rail
Follow-up: Physiotherapy outpatient booked at 4 weeks; hip precautions review with surgeon at 12 weeks
Task: Write a discharge letter to the GP, Dr Michael Burke, outlining the hip precautions, ADL status, and equipment provided.
Writing task
Write a discharge letter to the GP, Dr Michael Burke, outlining the hip precautions, ADL status, and equipment provided.
What to include, what to cut
The hardest mark to win is selection. The same case notes contain decision-relevant facts and distractors. Here is what an examiner expects to see in a Grade B letter for this scenario, and what should be left out.
Include
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The three hip precautions (no hip flexion beyond 90°, no leg crossing, no inward rotation) and their purpose
Posterior dislocation of a new hip replacement is a serious complication. The GP must know the precautions to support the patient's compliance and to recognise if the patient is at risk.
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Equipment provided: walking frame, raised toilet seat, showering stool, sock aid
The GP needs to know what the patient has at home so they can assess compliance and identify gaps at the post-op review.
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That dressing lower body requires assistance and the husband is providing support
The patient is not fully independent — the GP needs to know the carer situation in case the husband is unavailable.
Leave out
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The surgical approach (posterior) in detail
'Right total hip replacement (posterior approach)' is one clause of context — it explains why the hip precautions are those specific movements. No further surgical detail is needed.
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The physiotherapy follow-up detail
State it in one sentence: 'Physiotherapy outpatient booked at 4 weeks.' The GP does not manage the physiotherapy schedule.
Criterion in focus · Content
A hip replacement OT discharge letter has three non-negotiable Content requirements: (1) the precautions stated precisely (the three specific movements, not just 'hip precautions apply'), (2) the current ADL independence level, (3) the equipment in place. Omitting the specific movement restrictions, stating 'equipment was issued' without listing it, or omitting whether the patient has carer support are all Content gaps.
Now write the letter — and find out what is blocking your Grade B
Write a 160–180 words discharge letter from these notes, paste it into the free checker for an instant read, then submit it for a human grade against all six criteria. Dr Mariam's team returns line-by-line feedback, from $12.