Preparing for Your Hospital Visit
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Understand your role in preventing errors. Review the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s  20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors (also available in Spanish) and Five Steps to Safer Health Care (also available in Spanish). 

As you get ready for your hospital visit, here are some things to help you be more prepared.

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Make sure you have any prescribed pre-admission testing done prior to the date you are being admitted to the hospital.

 

Bring your insurance card and some form of identification such as a driver's license.

 

Leave your valuables at home. Take only those things that you need to be comfortable during your stay.

 

If you don't have a living will, consider completing one so your family will know what your wishes are if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. You can download a sample  advance directive forms. To become an organ donor, you can register online.

 

Know your medical history including any allergies and/or adverse reactions.

 

Bring a list of your current medications, including the name, dosage and frequency including any vitamin or herbal supplements you are taking.

 

Know your rights and responsibilities as a patient by reading The Patient Care Partnership: Understanding Expectations, Rights, and Responsibilities

 

Ask your physician questions about the procedure, what to expect, how long you will be in the hospital and whether you will be sent home or to another facility to recover.

 

Understand your role in preventing errors. Review  Five Steps to Safer Health Care(also available in Spanish) and the Joint Commission Guide on preventing medical errors.

 

Learn what you can do to reduce your chances of developing an infection by reviewing the  latest tips on preventing infections.

 

Know in advance the hospital's policies on cell phone use and visitation hours.

 

Because of federal and state privacy requirements, inform family and friends that you are going to the hospital and the name of the hospital. Once you are admitted, notify others of your room number or telephone number in the hospital. You may tell the hospital that you do not want any information provided to anyone regarding your hospitalization.

 

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If you have questions about your hospital visit, please contact the hospital's business office. You can find the hospital's telephone number by using THA's hospital directory.

Directory of Texas Hospitals