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Preparation Checklist

As you near the time to enter the hospital, the following checklist can help you ensure that you have taken all the steps discussed on this site for making your hospital stay as smooth, comfortable, and healthful as possible.

Prepare with Your Doctors: Get a clear picture from your doctors about what is likely to happen to you in the hospital. Make sure you do the following:

Find out who will be your "treating physician."

Ask what the role of your primary care physician will be.

Give your doctors the name of your personal spokesperson.

Ask for information about the "clinical pathway" for your condition.

Discuss pain management with your doctors.

Go over your medications with your treating physician.

Arrange a Support Network: Make arrangements for someone to act as your spokesperson and watch over your care while you are in the hospital in case you can't speak for yourself.

Get a commitment from a family member or friend to act as your advocate.

Tell your doctors, family, and friends of your choice of spokesperson.

Execute and deliver legal documents concerning your care choices.

Know Your Patient Rights: Get copies of, and read through, your rights as a hospital patient, as set out by the laws of the State of California and by the specific hospital where you will receive care.

Obtain copies of patient's rights.

Reduce Your Risks: Learn about patient safety in the hospital and reduce the chance that you will experience a medical error.

Get patient safety information.

Pre-Admission Steps: Share information with your doctor and the hospital to ease the admitting process and ensure you know how your care is supposed to proceed.

Ask your doctor about your care plan and share a copy with your spokesperson.

Provide the hospital with personal, health, and insurance information.

Get and fill out hospital's forms and review its rules.

Visit the hospital.