Being Admitted to the Hospital

A doctor—the primary care doctor, a specialist, or an emergency department doctor—determines whether a person has a medical problem serious enough to warrant admission to the hospital.

The first step in admission is registration. Sometimes registration can be done before arriving at the hospital. A person fills out forms requiring basic information (such as name and address) and health insurance information. Telephone numbers of family members or friends to contact in case of an emergency are listed. The person also signs forms consenting to being treated, releasing information to insurance companies, and agreeing to pay the charges. The person is given an ID bracelet to be worn on the wrist.

A person should bring a list of the drugs and doses being taken and any written instructions from the doctor. Hospitals also recommend that a person bring advance directives to the hospital. All of this information should be given to the nurse responsible for getting the person settled into a hospital room. A person should bring toiletries, a robe, sleepwear, slippers, and, if needed, eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures. All personal items should be marked or labeled. Prescription drugs and any valuables (such as a wedding ring or other jewelry, credit cards, or large sums of money) should be left at home.

After admission, the person may be taken to a laboratory to be tested or to a hospital room. Hospital rooms may be private (one bed) or shared (more than one bed).

Various tests, such as blood or urine tests, may be done to evaluate the person for other problems. Staff members may ask questions to determine whether the person is likely to develop problems in the hospital or to need extra help after discharge from the hospital. They may ask about eating habits, mood, vaccinations, drugs taken, problems with walking, the amount of help needed with daily activities, and living arrangements. The person may be asked a standard series of questions to evaluate mental function.

During the hospital stay, a doctor examines the person at least once a day. Nurses and other staff members usually come in several times a day and provide most of the care. Physical therapists may come in regularly to help the person exercise. Some older people need special care, such as help with eating. Family members and volunteers at the hospital may provide this care. Family members can also talk with a social worker at the hospital about making arrangements for extra help. Sometimes an attendant can be hired to help the person eat and walk.

How aggressively a disorder is treated in a hospital does not depend on age. However, less aggressive treatments are sometimes appropriate for older people, depending on their wishes and outlook—that is, how the disorder is expected to progress and how long the person is expected to live. Family members and older people can talk with a doctor or another health care practitioner about options for treatment to make sure those offered are based on the severity of the disorder, not on age.

See the sidebar Special Care Units.