Navigating Your Hospital Stay
Topic Overview
Hospitals can be big, confusing places, especially if you've never been a patient in one before.
But by taking the time to learn about how hospitals work and what you can expect, you may be able to lower your stress and concentrate on what's important: feeling better.
Before You Go
There is much you can do ahead of time to make your hospital experience go more smoothly.
- Choosing a Hospital
- Choosing a Health Care Provider
- Understanding Health Insurance
- Preparing for Your Hospital Stay
- Preparing Your Child for the Hospital
Learn how to manage stress
- Stress Management
- Stress in Children and Teens
- Stop Negative Thoughts: Choosing a Healthier Way of Thinking
- Tapping the Power of Optimism
Fill out important forms
What to Expect
How the hospital works
Being an active patient
- Better Care at Lower Costs
- Patient Rights and HIPAA
- Hospital Patient Advocates
- Work Closely With Your Doctor
- Working With More Than One Doctor
Your treatment
Making decisions about your treatment
- Smart Decisions: Know Your Options
- Medical Tests: Questions to Ask the Doctor
- Monitoring Your Medicines in the Hospital
Preventing problems
- Prevent Medical Errors
- Keeping Track of Medicines
- Hospital Staph Infections (MRSA)
- Avoiding Infections in the Hospital
- Preventing Falls in the Hospital
Your child in the hospital
When—and After—You Leave
As a smart patient, you want to find out exactly what you need to do after you leave the hospital to stay as healthy as possible.
Taking charge of your health after you're home is one of the best ways to prevent a return trip to the hospital.
- Leaving the Hospital
- Hospital Discharge Checklist
- Managing Your Medical Bills
- Organizing Your Medical Records
- Living With More Than One Health Problem
Related Information
References
Other Works Consulted
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2011). 20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors. Patient Fact Sheet (AHRQ Publication No. 11-0089). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Also available online: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/20tips.pdf.
- HealthGrades (2012). The Ninth Annual HealthGrades Patient Safety and Satisfaction Report. Denver: HealthGrades. Available online: https://www.cpmhealthgrades.com/index.cfm/portfolio/research-studies.
- Sanders J (2011). Family-centered care of the child during illness and hospitalization. In MJ Hockenberry, D Wilson, eds., Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and Children, 9th ed., pp. 964–997. St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.
- Wachter RM (2016). Quality of care and patient safety. In L Goldman, A Schafer, eds., Goldman-Cecil Medicine, 25th ed., vol. 1, pp. 44–46. Philadelphia: Saunders.
Credits
Current as of: August 22, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
John Pope MD - Pediatrics
E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
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Before You Go
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What to Expect
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When—and After—You Leave
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Related Information
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When—and After—You Leave - Top of the page
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References
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Related Information - Top of the page
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Credits
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Previous Section:
References - Top of the page
Current as of: August 22, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & John Pope MD - Pediatrics & E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine