Be your own advocate during a hospital stay

By Steven Vacek, M.D.

Today, most patients are more informed and more actively involved in their medical care than ever before. This is a positive trend. Physicians like myself want to encourage patients to be active partners in their health care.

Being hospitalized for surgery or because of an acute illness can be a scary, disorienting experience. Hospitalized patients are dependent on total strangers for all of their medical, physical and other needs.

Patients can sometimes find themselves in a strange environment where they don’t necessarily “speak the language” of the medical professionals who are providing their care.

I encourage patients to be their own advocate and not to be afraid to speak up during a hospital stay. Ask as many questions as needed, until things are explained in a way you can understand. Here are some tips to ensure your safety during a hospital stay:

Medication safety

• Bring an updated list of all of the drugs you are currently taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.
• If you are able to, keep a personal log of all medications you are given in the hospital. The nurse should always tell you what is being administered and what it is for. If you don’t recognize a medication or have any questions, please speak up.
• If you are given new prescriptions upon discharge, be sure to fill them right away and start taking your medications as directed. Having all of your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy will help avoid any adverse drug interactions.
• After being discharged from the hospital, update your list of medications for future reference.

Understand your plan of care

• Know the name of the doctor overseeing your care while you are hospitalized. It may be a “hospitalist” on staff at the hospital, and not your regular primary care physician.
• Understand your diagnosis. You are entitled to know what is wrong with you and what the short and long-term plan is for your care. It’s helpful to record the tests, results, treatments and diagnoses you receive in the hospital.

Prevent infection

• The easiest way to prevent infection is to insist that every caregiver wash his or her hands before touching you. Anyone who touches you, including visitors, should wash with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. If you don’t see them do that in front of you, politely ask if they have.

Trust your instincts

• If something you see bothers you or gives you a sense that something is not quite right, speak up. Feel free to follow the old motto: “Trust, but verify.”
• Don’t be shy about questioning any tests that don’t make sense to you, based upon your diagnosis (example: having a CT scan of the head when having knee replacement surgery).
• If you are having surgery, make sure the surgeon has thoroughly discussed the procedure with you.

Enlist the help of others

Realistically, there might be times when you are too sick or too sedated to keep track of everything yourself while in the hospital. Make sure a friend or family members is with you to monitor your care, ask about options and speak for you, if you are unable to do so yourself.

Dr. Steven Vacek practices family medicine at Aurora Wilkinson Medical Clinic. He can be reached at 262 646-1440.