Sunday, July 10, 2011

Hospital Tips


It is a fact that going to the hospital is not something most of us look forward to. It is the feeling of the unknown, complicated by the prospect of discomfort in unfamiliar surroundings, that makes most of us nervous about a hospital stay. The following hospital tips have been compiled from years of personal and professional experience within a large hospital system and includes information that is not always commonly disclosed to the patients or their families.

1. Admissions is usually your first stop in a hospital stay. It is common to be asked for a whole array of personal information including your social security number, insurance card information, address, phone number, employer, etc. It is not always necessary to give ALL of this information to achieve a hospital admission. It is a fact that there have been increasing occurrences of identity theft and credit card fraud on the part of an occasional nefarious person working for the hospital admissions departments. Try to give as little information as possible that will get the job done. You can ask your doctor's office to help you get pre-admitted with information that you give over the phone and can control a little better while you are still in a familiar environment. Tell your doctor and the admissions person that you have concerns about giving out too much information.

2. Upon admission, you will have a plastic bracelet attached to your wrist. This bracelet identifies you but also contains vital information that is pertinent to you and why you are there. It is a good idea that when nurses or other ancillary people enter your room to perform a procedure, take blood or give you medications, that you make sure they check your bracelet and match what they are doing to who you are. Hospitals are notorious for medication errors and this will help ensure that you are really getting what you are supposed to. And when you are discharged, make sure you cut the bracelet up into tiny pieces as it contains encoded information that could lead to identity theft.

3. If at all possible, have a loved one or close friend check in on you (in person) every day, if you are hospitalized. It is well known in the industry that patients who receive few or no visitors can be neglected in favor of those who seem to have responsible people watching out for their welfare. Have them leave their home or cell phone numbers with the nurse's station in case of any special needs or concerns on the part of the patient and also make sure that they leave them with YOU, the patient, so you can call for assistance, if you need it.

4. One of the most important hospital tips to know is one that they hardly ever tell you. If you should have any major problems or concerns while you or a loved one is in the hospital, ask for the hospital patient representative to come and see you immediately. This person's primary job is as a patient advocate and they will often be able to intercede on your behalf when other avenues fail. And there is no charge for their services.

5. Make sure that everyone who enters your room to care for you (doctors, nurses, tech staff, etc), first stops at the sink and washes their hands. This may seem simplistic, but recent research has shown that the most serious hospital-borne bacteria (the kind that can make you very sick or even kill you) are passed to the patient from their caregivers having failed to wash between patient care giving. Even physician's cell phones are rampant with viruses and bacteria. Politely remind them to wash, if they forget. It is your life and your health you are protecting.

Print out a copy of this list of hospital tips and take it with you to the hospital. Give a copy to the person you are counting on to watch over you while you are in the hospital. It is important and can save you a lot of unnecessary hassles before, during and after your hospital stay.




Author CL Davison is a former hospital administrator with a national hospital chain and is now a business owner and writer. Please visit [http://www.med-tips.com]



This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

No comments:

Post a Comment