How to Prepare for a Hospital Stay

Facing a hospital admission and stay can be traumatizing. Whether you have a major surgery, routine tests, stabilization or a minor procedure coming up, there is a degree of uncertainty about what you will experience while you are a patient. You need to be prepared to actively participate in ensuring you get the best, safest care possible. Many hospitals have patient ombudsmen and case workers, but they are not going to be as effective in advocating for you as you can be for yourself.

Instructions

• 1

  Research the credentials of the physicians who will treat you. Three or more weeks before your admission, call your state or county medical association and ask them for help in providing you with this information.

• 2

  Confirm that the hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAH). Membership in JCAH means the hospital meets national safety and health standards.

• 3

  Ask for a copy of the hospital's Patient Bill of Rights, and read it carefully. It identifies in clear, simple terms what kind of care you can expect, what rights you have as a patient and also what responsibilities you have as a patient.

• 4

  Confirm that you have complied with all the pre-admission test requirements for your procedure and admission.

• 5

  Ask a family member or friend to be with you at the hospital from the day of the admission all the way through to your discharge. This person will act as your spokesperson for your hospital stay, make arrangements to provide others with information on a regular basis about how you are doing, and answer questions people may have about you.

• 6

  Create a folder that holds the following:

  - A single page that lists your name, your birth date, the procedure you are being admitted for, any medication you take, any allergies you have, your dietary restrictions and every surgery or illness you have ever had, including the dates. Even though you will have to fill out forms that include these things when you are admitted, you'll be asked many times for this information, and necessary treatment could be delayed by hours until somebody provides the answers.

  - A copy of your health care proxy, which specifies your wishes for treatment--and if you don't have one, get one before you are admitted.

  - Copies of your insurance cards (front and back) that are legible.

  - Contact information for people to reach in case of any emergency or unexpected change in your condition.

  Ask your companion to hold onto the folder for you once you are hospitalized.

• 7

  Pack only what is necessary. You will need your eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures and a comb or brush. Include a small clock to put on the table or stand next to your bed. If you take slippers, make sure they have rubber bottoms--leather or cloth is not a good choice. Most hospital rooms are equipped with telephones for incoming calls, so leave the cell phone at home. If you expect to be in the hospital for several days, also pack a book.