Hospitals are the places you go when you are in a life or death situation. And they do an excellent job saving lives. Unfortunately over 2 million people return to the hospital within 30 days because they are not taking charge of their health. Hospitals treat symptoms but they can’t prevent a recurrence of a life or death situation.
Here are a few tips to ward off a cycle of hospital stays and spiraling health:
Be the liaison between the hospital and your primary care provider. Before you leave the hospital, request that your doctor be given the details of your stay in the hospital so that he or she will have all the information needed in order to monitor your recovery.
Write it down. Hospitals are overwhelming, busy places, so prior to discharge make sure you have a list of questions for the doctors treating you. This list should include questions seeking detailed explanations about medications and follow up visits along with any questions you might have concerning the procedure you had done or the state of your health. It is also imperative you receive a written discharge plan. You can find helpful resources online at:
Get back up. Make sure that you have another set of eyes and ears available to help you manage all the information you receive concerning your visit and treatment. Provide your family member or friend with a copy of your written instructions and talk with them about the follow up procedures/medications. This will help you retain all you are learning.
When it comes to staying healthy, the onus is on the individual. Hospitals can pull us back from the brink, but it is up to us to move as far away from the abyss of poor health as possible!
Source: PBS.org
