Going to the Hospital

Hospitals are easy to reach by a variety of transportation modes—ambulance, helicopter, private car, on foot, or public transportation.

The decision that you should go to a hospital can also take different avenues.

• If you are feeling ill, you may seek help at a hospital’s emergency department.
  
  
  • You may take yourself there.
  
  
  
  • You may ask family or friends to take you.
  
  
  
  • You may call 911 for emergency services or ask someone to call 911 or the appropriate number for an ambulance. The decision to call and request an ambulance should include the following:
    
    
    • What physical condition you are in and how quickly it might worsen
    
    
    
    • Your ability to get to the hospital safely by other means
    
    
    
    • Your past medical problems
    
    
    
    • If more than one person needs an ambulance
    
    
    
  • If you are ill and think you need to go to the hospital by ambulance, do not wait. Call immediately. Here are some conditions that might require an ambulance.
    
    
    • Chest pain
    
    
    
    • Shortness of breath
    
    
    
    • Palpitations (rapid heartbeat)
    
    
    
    • Weakness or dizziness
    
    
    
    • Heavy bleeding
    
    
    
    • Confusion
    
    
    
    • Trauma, unless minor
    
    
    
    • Moderate to severe pain
    
    
    
    • Moderate to severe headache
    
    
    
    • Problems with vision or speech
    
    
    
    • High fever
    
    
    
    • You require medical care on the way to the hospital
    
    
    
• Your doctor may request or arrange for you to be taken to the hospital.
  
  
  • With elective admission, you require hospital care but choose to wait for a more convenient time.
  
  
  
  • You are a nursing home or rehabilitation patient and you require admission.
  
  
  
  • Your doctor sees you in the office or clinic and makes a direct admission.
  
  
  
  • You transfer from another hospital.
  
  
  
• Family, friends, or others may take you or arrange for you to go to the hospital. Their reasons might include these:
  
  
  • You cannot convey your desires; for instance, you may be confused following a stroke or seizure or if your blood sugar is low.
  
  
  
  • You are obviously ill and require medical care.
  
  
  
  • You require medical care on the way to the hospital.
  
  
  
  • You have incurred some trauma—a motor vehicle accident, fall, burn, or electrical injury.
  
  
  
• The best hospital for you
  
  
  • Often, your best choice is the hospital where your doctor practices.
    
    
    • Your doctor knows you best.
    
    
    
    • Your doctor can generally direct your care in a more efficient manner.
    
    
    
    • Your doctor has a better understanding of your past medical history and health care needs.
    
    
    
  • You may go to a hospital other than your doctor’s.
    
    
    • You are on vacation or outside the area you live in.
    
    
    
    • If you had recent surgery, specialized care, or procedures at a different hospital. If time permits, call both the doctor that provided the specialized care and your personal doctor and ask where to go.
    
    
    
  • You may be taken to a trauma center.
    
    
    • Trauma centers offer specialized care for victims of trauma.
    
    
    
    • Such centers have specialist-surgeons on call to deal with all types of trauma.
    
    
    
    • Minor trauma (such as a cut finger or ankle sprain) does not require a trauma center.
    
    
    
  • You may, at some time, require the services of a trauma center but find yourself transported to a hospital that is not a trauma center.
    
    
    • You are not near a trauma center.
    
    
    
    • The ambulance service transporting you does not go to the trauma center.
    
    
    
    • If you are the victim of serious trauma, ask if you’re being taken to a trauma center. If you are not being taken there, ask if the hospital you're going to can handle your injuries.
    
    
    
    • You may always be transferred to a trauma center, once stabilized, if you require it.
    
    
    
  • The hospital you want to go to may be "on divert." This means the hospital is so full it is requesting not to receive anyone by ambulance.
    
    
    • You may still ask to be taken to that hospital, however.
    
    
    
    • Inform the ambulance personnel that you still want to go to the hospital on divert, and tell them why.
    
    
    
    • Your request may or may not be honored. If it is, be aware you could spend hours or days in the emergency department until a bed becomes available for you.
    
    
    
• What you should bring to the hospital
  
  
  • If you take multiple medications or have a complex medical history, you may want to keep a list of these in your wallet or purse at all times. (If the hospital grants permission, you may be able to control costs by taking your own medications while you’re admitted.)
  
  
  
  • The list should include the following:
    
    
    • Medication names
    
    
    
    • Doses
    
    
    
    • How you take them and how often you take them
    
    
    
    • If they were recently changed
    
    
    
  • You may also obtain a copy of your most recent ECG and keep that in your wallet.
  
  
  
  • It would be helpful to bring the following. But do not delay going to the hospital if you need immediate care, even if you don’t have them:
    
    
    • Identification and insurance card
    
    
    
    • An accurate medical history
    
    
    
    • Allergy list
    
    
    
    • List of your medical problems
    
    
    
    • Your physician’s name and phone number
    
    
    
    • Any personal items you think you may need
    
    
    
  • Do not bring your valuables. Leave money and jewelry at home.