What to Bring to the Hospital
Some hospital Web sites advise patients on what to bring with them for their hospital stay, suggesting everything from your own robe, slippers, pajamas, or nightgown to an advance directive. Definitely, the latter is an important point.
“Whether it’s an elective or emergent admission,” says Dr. Grace, “there are a few things [you] can do to ensure [your] hospitalization is as safe, efficient, and productive as possible,” he tells friends and relatives. Among them, he says, is to “have a Living Will or advance directives completed, ensure the hospital has a copy, and discuss your wishes with your family prior to admission. Clear and concise plans, coupled with good family awareness, will help ensure your wishes and values are honored appropriately.”
And, as several of his hospitalist colleagues suggest, “Bring all of the medications you are currently using, including any over-the-counter medicines and herbs or homeopathic treatments. It’s imperative that physicians know what medications you are taking [because] many cannot be stopped abruptly, and [they may] have interactions with medications you may receive in the hospital.”
In addition, “know what medications you’re truly allergic to [e.g., hives, swelling, breathing problems],” Dr. Grace advises, “and which medications you have had side effects from [e.g., stomach upset, sleepiness, and so on]. Many patients confuse the two. Occasionally the best or only option involves using medications with potential unwanted side effects. Rarely do we use medications to which the patient has a true allergy.”
Communication: The Key to the Hospital Kingdom
Dr. Sachdeva recommends being ready to communicate even before going to the hospital. “In the case of an emergency admission,” he says, “they should have all their information readily available because at the time for a needed hospitalization, they may be sick and confused.” Have it “on their person” or in “an easily identifiable place,” he says, and, like his colleagues, he reiterates that this information should include a list of medications, problems, doctors, and phone numbers, along with a list of patient advocates and their phone numbers.
“Most of the time, patients are able to notify a family member, but if that doesn’t happen, then the ER can notify the appropriate person to be present to supervise and oversee the care from a patient perspective,” he says.
Communication was mentioned by all the hospitalists we interviewed. “Be prepared to ask questions and take an active role in your healthcare,” says Dr. Grace. “Ask your nurse what each medication you receive is and what it’s for. Ensure you know what medications to continue taking when you return home and which ones to stop. If you don’t understand your diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment plan, make sure you ask.”
One hospitalist’s advice pertained to the patient’s and family’s behavior and is based on an experience in her own family: “Be really nice to everybody,” Alison Holmes, MD, a hospitalist with Concord Hospital, Concord, N.H., advises friends and family. “This is hard to do when you’re sick and scared, but it’s incredibly important.”
Dr. Holmes speaks of her own parents’ experience: “My mother was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia about a year ago. She had very long wait in the emergency room. My father got very upset and called me and said, ‘Oh, they were so angry at me, I was yelling at everybody.’
“That won’t get you anywhere!” I told him. “That will get you worse care.” I asked, “Where is she now?” and he said, ‘Oh, she’s still in the emergency room,’ and I said, “You’re at home? You left her there?” Dr. Holmes then advised her father to return to the hospital right away.