By Lucas Elias
If you or loved ones are immediately in the hospital, you can reduce stress and confusion with good planning and recording. Before hospitalization, during and then after the release, there were questions to be asked and answered to record. You might want to keep your health care information in the same place as you save your important legal documents.
You will want to have a list of drugs you take, and you will want to track the answers to the questions you have about your care and care. If you cannot act as your own best health care advocate, it’s good to appoint someone who can. Also, to make hospitals stay more comfortable, you might want to carry items from home, such as books, sandals and robes.
There will be questions you need to ask so you can make health care decisions. You will want to know the names of doctors who have treated you at the hospital; What tests do and with what results; diagnosis, in medical and laying terms; prognosis for your condition or disease; every new drug prescribed; possible side effects of proposed treatment; and information about appropriate clinical trials.
It is important to track previous prescribed drugs, during, and after the release of the hospital. Make notes when drugs are first prescribed, when the dose is adjusted, and all drugs are stopped. By tracking your current recipe, you will prevent objections or less medical treatment or even have treatment interactions.
When you are scheduled to be dismissed from the hospital, there will be a “debit meeting.” Debit planners coordinate ordering equipment, home health services, outpatient therapy, and many other services. The planner will ensure that the doctor has issued a prescription order for all the services you need. It is a good idea to attend a debit meeting (or ask someone to attend on your behalf) so your needs may be more intended.
Also at the disposal meeting it will be decided if you will go home, or to other facilities. You can be placed in hospital rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, assisted residences, or homes with help from guards, family members or friends.
Rehabilitation hospitals are places they have an intensive therapy program – often a few hours a day therapy. This is the place of patients sent when they are too “good” for hospitals but it is not strong enough to return home. Other options for treatments between hospitals and home arrangements are skilled nursing facilities, which will usually offer several rehabilitation services. Sometimes, you will need more help than you can get at home, and you will be released to a list of assisted living facilities.
The problem of your mobility can be assessed in the hospital, especially if you ask for it. Many people who leave the hospital will have special equipment for their recovery period. Outside wheelchairs and pedestrians, there are other items from durable medical equipment that help accessibility and mobility, such as Cross Take, lifting toilet chairs, and fences for the bathroom. Many of these items will be provided for you to use when you are accepted at the Rehabilitation Hospital, skilled nursing facilities or assisted living facilities.
Additional details will be needed if you go from the hospital to your home. Is your equipment needed there? Can you reach all rooms or areas in your home? Does your home need modification so you can access all of these areas? If you ask a question in advance, adjustments can be made so that your house back will be more smooth. While a hospital stay has never been anticipated, with some planning, asking the right questions, and recording information, just maybe less stressful.
