Introduction
Patients are usually admitted to hospital either as an emergency or as a booked admission. Emergency admission patients are admitted through the Emergency Department. These are seriously injured or ill patients who need immediate treatment.
Most patients come into hospital as a booked admission. You will either be a day patient or an inpatient.
A day patient comes to hospital for a test or treatment and goes home the same day. They usually will not stay overnight. Day patients are usually treated in the Day Surgery Unit at the hospital. In 2003/04 nearly half of all hospital admissions were patients having day surgery.
An inpatient stays overnight or for a few days at the hospital.
To get you admitted, your general practitioner will probably have referred you to a specialist and they may decide that you need a test, operation or other treatment in hospital. The specialist will send a letter to the hospital asking for your admission and detailing the treatment you require.
The hospital will place your details on a register and will write to you letting you know how long you can expect to wait before admission. Patients are booked in for procedures according to how urgently they require treatment. The register manages admissions so that the most ill patients receive their treatment first.
You will receive a letter from the hospital when an exact date has been made for your treatment. The hospital always tries to give patients at least two weeks notice of their admission date.
What if my health changes while waiting for hospital admission?
If your condition changes or you have any health problems while waiting for your appointment it is important you see your general practitioner. They may notify the hospital or specialist to discuss your health needs. Your general practitioner may also be able to suggest some alternatives which may improve your health while you are waiting for admission to hospital.
Why do I have to wait for hospital treatment and why could it be postponed?
Patients are booked in for procedures according to how urgently they require treatment. Your details are placed on a register which manages admissions so that the most ill patients receive treatment first. People with urgent medical needs are treated before people with less urgent needs. You may wait for a longer period than someone else you know and this can be frustrating. We understand you deserve to receive treatment quickly and that you are worried about your medical condition. You will receive treatment as soon as possible.
Coordinating hospital activities and patient admissions is a complex task. If a hospital receives many emergency admissions this can affect the number of booked admission patients they can admit. In 2003/04, nearly one in three people admitted to Queensland Health hospitals were emergency admissions.
It may be necessary to cancel and re-book your operation date/time. Every attempt will be made to avoid this but unexpected emergencies, such as urgent surgery on accident victims, may make it necessary.
What should I do before my admission?
Going into hospital can be stressful and daunting. It helps to be prepared. Before your admission:
You may be asked to attend a Pre-Admission Clinic about one to two weeks before going into hospital. Staff at the clinic will do a thorough health assessment and provide information about your treatment. Some tests, such as blood tests, may be undertaken. These clinics allow most patients to be admitted to hospital on the morning of their treatment rather than the day before.
What should I bring to hospital?
Checklist of suggested items to bring to hospital
Plus for patients staying overnight or for a few days
If you are a maternity patient you will be given a list of items to bring for your baby. These may include nappies, clothes to wear in hospital and to go home in, and baby wipes.
It is helpful if all your belongings are labelled with your name.
Please do not bring:
Please check with the hospital you are attending about their local policy. Generally, you may bring mobile phones into hospital. In some sections of the hospital, such as Intensive Care, mobile phones must be switched off becuase they may interfere with medical equipment. There may also be no facilities in hospital for recharging patient mobile phones. We ask that you use your phone considerately so as not to disturb other patients, or staff. Most patients have telephone access at their bedside. There are also public phone facilities for use by patients and visitors.
Electrical items - If you wish to bring hairdryers, shavers or other personal electric appliances, please check with the hospital. Some hospitals only permit battery-operated appliances or need electrical items to be safety tested before use in hospital. Faulty electrical items may interfere with medical equipment.
Where do I go when I get to hospital?
The letter you receive confirming your appointment at the hospital will provide details of where to go when you arrive. Make sure you read the letter carefully as it may contain instructions needed for your treatment, such as asking you to fast before going to the hospital. If you have any questions call the contact detailed in the letter.
If you are unsure where to go when you arrive ask at the main reception or information desk which is usually located in the hospital's main foyer.
What happens during admission to hospital?
Your letter from the hospital will tell you the date and time of your admission and where to go when you arrive at the hospital. It may be a ward, an admission clinic or a day surgery unit. If you are unsure where to go when you arrive, ask at the main reception or information desk which is usually located in the hospital's main foyer.
On arrival your details will be checked by the staff. To help us provide quality care, we need to know complete and accurate details of:
When you are admitted, a bracelet identification band will be put on your wrist or ankle. Please check the details on it are accurate and wear it while you are in hospital.
Depending on the treatment you need, you may be shown to a ward. The staff there will show you your room and bed, where to put your belongings and how to operate the bed and nurse call controls. A small bedside locker is provided for your personal belongings.
If you have any questions or are unsure of any information you are given, ask the hospital staff. All personal information is held in strictest confidence.
Prior to any treatment you must give your informed consent.
Is financial help available with travel to hospital?
If you need specialist medical or dental services that are not available in your local area then you may be eligible for financial assistance for travel and accommodation. Ask the hospital staff for information about Queensland Health's Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme.
How long will I be in hospital?
In 2003/04, the average length of stay in a Queensland Health hospital was three days. Some treatments may need patients to stay for longer. Your doctor, or the nurses on the ward, will be able to tell you how long you can expect to be in hospital.
Advances in medicine mean many patients have shorter hospital stays and many treatments can now be provided as day surgery with no overnight stay in hospital needed. This benefits patients as they can return to their home sooner and minimal disruption is caused to them and their family.
Most patients go into hospital on the day they are having their treatment. However, the hospital will tell if you need an earlier admission to get ready for a treatment or for some diagnostic test.
What if I need an interpreter?
If you, or someone you are caring for, needs interpreter services during their hospital visit please contact the hospital prior to their appointment so support can be arranged.
What if I'm a smoker?
If you are a patient coming into hospital and you smoke, your smoking will be assessed and you will be offered nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patches or gum) to help you not smoke during your hospital stay. The patches and gum will reduce any withdrawal symptoms such as cravings, irritability and anxiety.
You will be asked questions about your smoking such as:
This will help staff understand your level of nicotine dependence and whether you are likely to experience nicotine withdrawal when you stop smoking.
Nicotine dependence includes:
If you are assessed as nicotine dependent and your medical condition allows nicotine replacement therapy, then you will be offered nicotine patches or gum for use during your hospital stay.
Reasons for not being offered nicotine replacement therapy include:
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