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Prepare with Your Doctors

Talking with your doctors about what you can expect at the hospital will help you manage your own care, spot problems that may arise, and direct you to the right people to address those problems.

Your Doctors' Roles. It is important to understand who will be in charge of your care so you know who to contact if you are confused or concerned about your condition or treatment. Before you enter the hospital, ask your doctors:

• How many doctors will be caring for you?
• What role will each of them play while you are in the hospital?
• Will your primary care doctor or a specialist be your "treating physician" (in charge of your care)?
• How often will your treating physician see you in the hospital?
• What will the role be, if any, of "hospitalists" (doctors who work for the hospital itself and specialize in caring for hospitalized patients)?

Putting Together Your Support Network. Before you enter the hospital, arrange for a family member or friend to speak for you if you become unable to do so. It is important to prepare documents ─ called "Advance Directives" ─ that clearly explain your wishes about care if you become unable to communicate those wishes. More information about this process is available in Arrange Support Network. In addition to providing them with your Advance Directives, make sure you give each doctor the name and phone numbers of the person who will be your spokesperson. If possible, have this person join you when you meet the physician in charge of your care.

Understanding the Course of Your Care. Before your admission to the hospital, your treating physician can provide you with an outline of the path your care will take. For example, the path for a surgery includes preparation for the surgery; anesthesia; surgery; recovery, including different levels of hospital care; and the beginnings of rehabilitation. Asking for this outline, called a "clinical pathway," will help you understand the steps in your care, and how long each one will take.

Pain Management. Your condition, procedure, or treatment may leave you with significant pain. Before you go into the hospital, talk with your treating physician about:

• The types, intensity, and duration of pain you are likely to experience;
• The kinds of pain relief that will be available; and
• The ways in which you can be involved in the management of your own pain, including different kinds of self-regulated medication.

Also, ask your doctor whether the hospital operates a palliative care service, and, if so, how you can take advantage of it if necessary. A palliative care service specializes in managing pain and other symptoms, rather than curing a disease. Unlike hospice, which requires patients to have a prognosis of six months or less to live, palliative care can be given alongside ongoing curative treatment, such as chemotherapy or surgery.

Medication. Ask your treating physician about the medications you will be taking in the hospital and let him or her know which medicines you regularly take (including over-the-counter drugs and vitamins). Your doctors should:

• Double-check your drug allergies;
• Explain to you the purpose and effects of new drugs you may be given;
• Warn you of potential side effects of new drugs; and
• Consider any interactions among your regular and new drugs.

Understanding how these medications act and interact can go a long way toward helping you Reduce Your Risks of adverse drug reactions while in the hospital.