What to Include in Your Hospitalization "Go" Plan

By Ailene Gerhardt, MA, BCPA, Founder, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC

Due to the volume of patients needing care during the COVID- 19 pandemic, many hospitals and facilities are not allowing patients to be accompanied. This is a challenge for everyone since the patient will not have a loved one/friend to advocate for them bedside. It will be hard for healthcare providers to know who to reach out to regarding important decisions should the patient be incapacitated. You can help.

Make sure you have a “go” plan completed and a bag gathered should hospitalization be necessary.

What to Include in a “Go” Plan and Bag:

• Organized Paperwork (Personal Health Record):

  • Name, Blood Type, Allergies, Emergency Contact name, relationship and contact information

  • A current copy of your Driver’s License, Insurance card / Medicare/Medicaid card, Supplemental Insurance Card front and back

  • Current Medications List (include dose, when it’s taken, frequency, why you take that medicine)

  • Medical Summary: Conditions & Timeline of Surgical Procedures and Screening Tests

  • Completed current HIPAA releases, Advance Directive Documents: Healthcare Proxy, Living Will/Personal Directive

  • Instructive summary about you: include instructions about a condition that requires medication at specific intervals/on specific days and what you take, how often and what happens if it is missed. Also include a mention of glasses/hearing aids and/or mobility devices you need for activities of daily life.

  • Ariadne Labs and The Conversation Project developed a conversation guide to support people in discussing their goals and priorities for treatment should they become sick with COVID-19. Being Prepared in the Time of COVID-19: Three things you can do now was designed to support everyone in making difficult choices in the face of serious illness. View the guide here.

• Phone/Tablet chargers, hearing aid batteries / chargers, extra glasses

• Basic toiletries

• Extra socks, underwear

• Disinfecting wipes / hand sanitizer (to wipe down surfaces you come in contact with in your room)

• Notebook, pens, clipboard

Make sure your emergency contact(s) has/have copies of all documents you bring with you and easy access to advance care plan documents such as HIPAA releases, healthcare proxy, living will, etc.

View our blog post: what to include in your personal health record for more details

While there is a lot of uncertainty currently can “prepare” for an emergency by having our records and important documents organized and up to date. Having basic items gathered in the event of a hospital stay will also make things easier at a time of extreme stress. Contact me to help you prepare!

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Connect With Us: When the complexity of your healthcare situation is too challenging to navigate on your own working with an independent board certified patient advocate can help cut through the “red tape” and reduce complications at an emotional time. Contact Ailene to learn more about the value of working with a private patient advocate.