Preparing for a Hospital Visit

Lay the right groundwork beforehand

For your health!

Lehigh Valley Hospital goes smoke-free

• Indoors and out, at all sites
• Jan. 1, 2007

For details or help quitting, call 610-402-CARE or visit www.lvh.org.

Getting the news that you need hospital care can be overwhelming. What hospital should you choose? What do you need to know? What should you bring with you?

“It’s important to answer these questions so you can concentrate on the most important thing—getting better,” says Lehigh Valley Hospital emergency nurse Mary Jo Moerkirk, R.N. Here’s what to do:

Choose the right hospital

The perfect time to choose a hospital is when you don’t need one. Then you’re prepared for whatever emergency, elective surgery or chronic health condition you may someday face. For example, if you need heart surgery, it’s important to know that the hospital performs enough of these procedures, gets good results and has skilled, board-certified surgeons.

Then make sure your doctor (and specialists) work at your hospital of choice. “Doctors are affiliated with different hospitals, so it’s important to ask,” says Moerkirk’s colleague, family medicine physician Lou Lukas, M.D. These two online guides can help:

Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council—It compares how well hospitals statewide provide care for nearly 50 common conditions. Get the facts at www.phc4.com.

Magnet—It’s the national designation of hospitals with excellent nursing care. Find a full list of Magnet hospitals at www.nursingworld.org/ancc.

Know the ins and outs of your health insurance

If you’re not sure whether your insurance covers a given surgery or whether you pay for part of your emergency visit, call your insurance provider (the number should be on the card). Don’t assume your plan is identical to a friend’s with the same insurer but a different employer—insurers negotiate a variety of policies.

If you don’t have insurance coverage, contact the hospital to see what financial help is available.

Keep the right people informed

Your family doctor or internist—If your doctor isn’t “in the loop” about your hospital stay—for example, you’re referred directly by a specialist, or you go to the emergency room—make sure he or she is informed. (After hours, leave a message with the answering service.) “Your doctor can then share relevant information and follow up on your condition,” Moerkirk says.

Family and friends—Bring someone with you to the hospital to help ask questions and remember caregivers’ directions and advice—after all, you probably won’t be feeling your best. And you’ll need to let your caregivers know whom to inform about your condition. New privacy laws make this your responsibility.

Bring the right things

If you’re staying overnight, pack personal care items (toothbrush, short robe, etc.), notepad and pen, and small comforts like a favorite blanket or family photo.

Don’t bring valuables like jewelry (remove rings, as your fingers may swell) and cash.

For any hospital treatment or doctor visit, bring a complete list of your allergies and all the medications you’re taking, with dosages. If you have an extensive medical history, include diagnoses, hospitalizations, surgeries and past physicians on your list.

Want to Know More about how Lehigh Valley Hospital helps families unable to pay their hospital bills? Click here.

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