What a written follow-up plan should actually contain
A follow-up plan is not a discharge summary with a phone number at the bottom. It is a short document that assigns each post-operative task to a named person or department, with a date or trigger and a route for results. After robotic radical prostatectomy, the tasks that can fall between two health systems are pathology review, catheter removal, PSA monitoring, continence and erectile-function support, and wound or urinary symptom checks.
For each task, the plan should state the responsible clinician or unit, the intended timing or trigger, the location, and how the result will be communicated. If the answer to any of those is 'your GP at home' or 'your local urologist', the plan should say so explicitly and describe what information that clinician will receive and when.
The plan should also state what the patient is expected to do: which symptoms to report, to whom, and through which channel. That is different from a general warning to seek care if unwell. It is a specific instruction with a specific recipient.
Ask for the plan in English as well as Chinese if you do not read Chinese. If the hospital provides only a Chinese version, ask whether an interpreter can go through it with you and whether an English translation can be issued on hospital letterhead. A translation you arrange yourself may not be accepted by your home clinician as an official record.
Pathology review: who reads it, when, and how you receive it
The prostate specimen removed during surgery is examined by a pathologist. The report describes the cancer type, grade and extent, and whether the surgical margins or nearby structures are involved. These findings influence what surveillance or additional treatment is discussed afterwards. The timing of that report and who discusses it with you are hospital-specific, so ask the treating team directly rather than assuming a fixed interval.
The written plan should name the clinician who will review the pathology with you or your home team, and the route by which the report and any images or slides will be shared. If your home urologist or oncologist will make decisions based on that report, ask whether a copy can be released to them directly and whether slides or blocks can be requested if a second pathology opinion is needed.
Ask what the plan says about the possibility that further treatment is discussed after pathology review. You are not asking for a prediction. You are asking who would coordinate that discussion, where it would happen, and how you would be contacted. If the answer is that this depends on findings, ask for the decision rule in writing: which findings trigger which next step, and who makes the call.
Do not treat a follow-up plan as a guarantee about cancer control. It is an administrative and clinical communication document. The treating team decides what surveillance or treatment is appropriate based on your individual pathology and clinical course.
Catheter care and early recovery instructions in writing
After radical prostatectomy, a urinary catheter is typically left in place for a period determined by the surgeon. The removal date, who removes it, and what to do if problems occur should all appear in the written plan. If the plan says the catheter will be removed at home, ask for written instructions on what to expect, what is normal, and which symptoms require urgent contact rather than waiting for a scheduled review.
Ask specifically who is responsible for catheter removal if it is not done before you leave China. If your home clinician is expected to remove it, they need the operative note, the catheter type and size, and a contact for the treating team in case of difficulty. A plan that says 'catheter removal as arranged' without naming the person and place is not a plan.
The same applies to wound care, urinary symptoms, pain management and any prescribed medicines. Ask for written instructions on what to take, for how long, and who to contact if a medicine needs to be changed. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own; that decision belongs to a licensed clinician.
Continence and erectile function are common concerns after prostatectomy. The plan should say who will assess these, when, and what support is available. It should not promise a particular outcome. Ask what the treating team's approach is and how it will be reviewed.
PSA monitoring: the test, the schedule and the result route
PSA testing is a standard part of follow-up after radical prostatectomy. The schedule and the threshold for action are clinical decisions that depend on your pathology and course. The written plan should state the intended testing interval, the laboratory or clinic where the test will be done, and who will review the result.
If PSA testing will happen at home, the plan should say what your home clinician needs to send back to China, if anything, and how that communication will occur. If testing will happen in China, the plan should say how results reach you and your home team. Ask whether the hospital can provide results in a format your home clinician will accept, and whether an English summary is available.
Ask what the plan says about who acts on a rising PSA. If the answer is that your home urologist or oncologist will decide, the plan should name that person and describe what information they will receive. If the answer is that the Chinese treating team will decide, the plan should say how you will be contacted and what the expected response time is for non-urgent results.
Do not assume that a normal PSA result means no further action is needed. The treating clinician interprets results in the context of your pathology and clinical history. The written plan should make clear who does that interpretation and how you will be told.
Contact routes and responsibility: who answers what
A follow-up plan is only useful if you can reach the right person. Ask for a named contact or department for each type of question: pathology results, catheter problems, wound concerns, medicine questions, PSA results, and general recovery questions. If the hospital uses a patient portal, app or email address, ask how it works and whether it is monitored after discharge.
Ask what the expected response time is for non-urgent questions and what to do if you do not receive a reply. Ask whether the contact route works from outside China and whether there is a language barrier. If you do not speak Chinese, ask whether the hospital can provide English-language communication for follow-up questions and whether that is included or arranged separately.
The plan should also state who is responsible if you seek care elsewhere. If you become unwell at home, your local clinician will need the operative note, pathology report, discharge summary and contact details for the treating team. Ask the hospital to prepare a package of these documents before you leave, and ask whether they can be sent directly to a clinician you name.
If you use a coordination service, clarify in writing what that service does and does not do. A coordinator can help with appointments, interpretation and document handling. Clinical decisions, prescriptions and medical advice belong to licensed clinicians. Ask the hospital and the coordinator separately what each will provide after discharge.
How to request the plan and what to do next
Ask for the written follow-up plan before discharge, not after you return home. A practical request is: 'Please provide a written follow-up plan in English that names the responsible clinician for pathology review, catheter removal, PSA testing and recovery support, with dates or triggers, contact routes and what I should do if I have a problem.' If the hospital cannot provide this immediately, ask when it will be ready and how it will be sent.
Review the plan while you are still in China, when you can ask questions in person. Check that every task has a named owner, a timing or trigger, and a contact route. If something is missing, ask for it to be added. If the plan relies on your home clinician, confirm that the hospital will send the necessary records and that your home clinician has agreed to take on that role.
Before you travel, ask the hospital what records you will receive and in what format. Ask whether they can be sent electronically to a clinician you name, and whether a paper copy is available. Keep a copy with you and leave a copy with your home clinician.
An initial enquiry to ChinaSpecialistCare is free and can help you identify what to ask the hospital and what records to prepare. You do not need to buy a proxy consultation to make an initial enquiry. The hospital decides whether robotic prostatectomy is suitable for you and what follow-up it will provide. For confirmed services and planning, see the robotic prostatectomy reference page.
Sources & scope of this guide
References and official service information relevant to this guide.
This is general planning information and has not been individually reviewed by a doctor. Medical decisions and personal treatment advice come from your treating clinicians.