As much as possible, we try to keep healthy and stay away from accidents, but some things are simply inevitable. At some point in our life, we would have to go to the emergency room, whether we like it or not. Before that happens, we should be prepared.
Should you need to head to the ER, it’s a must that you visit a reputable hospital that can handle emergencies professionally, such as the Idaho Falls Community Hospital. Its staff has undergone extensive emergency training so they can provide the best care possible.
Aside from picking the right hospital, there are a lot of things you need to prepare and pack to make sure your visit to the ER goes smoothly. While trips to the ER are usually sudden, it’s best to have the necessary documents and items ready just in case you need to be rushed to the hospital.
That said, here are the ways you can prepare for an ER visit:
Provide your attending nurse and doctor with the complete details regarding your illness or injury. As much as you can, tell them where the injury happened and how it happened. You should also inform them of when the injury occurred—has it been there for a long time or was it recent? If you’re visiting due to an illness, you should mention how long you’ve been feeling that way and what other illnesses you’re diagnosed with.
Providing these details to your attending doctor will help them quickly and accurately develop a diagnosis, which will be beneficial for you. Leaving out any important information behind could do more harm than good, as it can put you at risk and might cause complications.
If you’re too embarrassed to tell the doctor about what happened to you, chances are they’ve heard that kind of story a thousand times before so there’s no need to withdraw information. Keep in mind that doctors are bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, which doesn’t allow them to disclose your condition to anyone else unless required by law. This ensures that your privacy will not be breached.
Bring any identification that allows the hospital to expedite any personal information for proper processing. In case you run into an accident and you’re alone, having an ID card with you will help emergency responders identify who you are and call your emergency contacts to let them know you’re in the hospital. This will allow you to have someone by your side who can give you the needed support and handle all the necessary paperwork.
When heading to the emergency room, you should be prepared for the bills you have to pay. It goes without saying that being rushed to the ER doesn’t come for free and might even be costly since there are emergency fees you need to pay on top of your procedures and medicine.
While you shouldn’t bring a ton of cash along, it’s safe to at least bring your credit or debit card so you’ll have a more convenient way of paying. This way, you won’t have to worry about physically bringing a huge amount that might get lost or stolen.
If you have insurance, keep in mind to bring this along as well so it can help you cut the cost of the bill. Depending on your insurance plan and your injury or illness, you could have a huge discount or have the whole bill waived.
Having insurance is a worthy investment that can help you greatly in case of emergencies. This will aid in paying your bills so you won’t have to leave the hospital with an empty pocket.
You should always keep your mobile phone on hand so you can let your loved ones know that you’re in the emergency room and recovering.
Since you don’t know how long you’ll be staying at the ER, you should also bring your cellphone charger to keep your battery full and your communication lines open at all times. This is highly essential in speeding things up in terms of handling bills and documents.
If you don’t have a charger handy, you could always bring a fully charged power bank to help you recharge your mobile phone anywhere you go. With a power bank, you wouldn’t have to worry about plugging anything into the hospital’s outlet.
This has to be one of the most important things you need to prepare if you know for a fact that you have a ton of medical issues. Doctors highly encourage you to be knowledgeable of all your allergies, previous illnesses (mostly severe cases that don’t include the seasonal flu), current and previous medications, genetic medical history, and aversions to a particular medicine.
Being fully aware of your medical history will help doctors come up with a proper treatment as they can eliminate all possible allergic reactions you may have. This will also help you recover better and faster without having to guess which medicines you should take and which ones you should avoid.
Moreover, knowing your medical history will also help you avoid paying for additional testing fees for illnesses you already know you have. Not only is this cost-efficient, but you’ll be able to save a lot more time, which will allow doctors to focus on fully treating you instead.
If you can, always bring someone with you when visiting the emergency room. When you’re in pain, chances are you’ll have trouble explaining what you feel, which might not be helpful for your attending doctor. Bring along a friend or family member so they can help describe what you’re feeling to the doctor. It’s best if your companion knows your medical history so they can also provide better information.
In addition, a friend or family member will be able to assist you when you need support standing up or sitting down. They can help you out with things you may have difficulty with while recovering. Plus, you’ll be able to get well faster when you have someone who can make you feel at ease during your stay at the hospital.
Always have a go-bag ready just in case you need to be rushed to the ER anytime. You’ll never know how long you’re going to be in the ER, or if you need to stay the night at the hospital, so pack at least the following items:
You should prepare this bag even if you’re not anticipating any emergencies as this will help you save time preparing, and you can head out to the hospital immediately.
If this option is available at your emergency center, it’s ideal that you check in online to lessen your waiting time so you can be treated quickly.
However, while this is helpful and time-efficient, you still have to consider the urgency of your condition and the number of patients who are already waiting for their turn. Keep in mind that checking in online doesn’t disqualify you from undergoing the triage. Still, an online check-in may still save a bit of time and allow the ER staff to address your condition quickly.
When you’re being rushed to the emergency room due to an illness, don’t forget to inform your primary care physician. They will be able to remind you of the medical history you need to mention to ER attendees. Your primary care physician might also be able to call the ER before your visit so they’ll become immediately aware of your medical history, which is crucial for your treatment and recovery.
Your primary care physician will also set a follow-up appointment for your ongoing care, or they could head to the ER themselves or recommend transferring to another hospital if worse comes to worst.
You’ll never know how long your visit to the emergency room will take so it’s best to assume that you’re going to need to take a day off for proper treatment, most especially if your emergency is severe.
If you have a companion with you, have them reschedule or cancel any appointments you may have. You can also ask someone to do important errands for you. Perhaps you can ask a friend or family member to attend to important matters, such as paying bills that are due or picking up your children from school.
Speaking of children, it’s good to always have someone you can contact immediately who can take care of your kids while you’re gone. Again, this can be a relative, a friend, or even a trusted neighbor. The important thing is that you have someone who you can depend on to take care of your children while you’re sick.
When you’re being driven or are driving yourself to the emergency room, you’d probably want to skip the traffic and find the fastest route to your nearest hospital. This can be especially challenging if you’re new in town as you might have difficulty navigating the street, making your travel time a lot longer. This can be extremely dangerous as the slightest delay may be fatal.
Instead of asking people on the street for directions, use apps that can direct you to the quickest way to the hospital. These apps, like Google Maps or Waze, can also inform you about traffic and road conditions, which will allow you to avoid congested streets.
It’s important that you find the fastest route as every minute is important during emergency cases.
If the situation is severe and you can’t drive yourself to the hospital, call an ambulance. Have the hospital’s emergency number ready so you can quickly contact them for ambulance services.
You should call for an ambulance if:
When calling for an ambulance, avoid blocking entrance and exit points in your location so medics will have easy access and can, therefore, act quickly.
People don’t often anticipate emergencies but there will come a time when you might need to be rushed to the ER. Whether it’s because of an accident or an illness, a trip to the ER is never easy, but you can make it less stressful if you know what to prepare when the time comes.
Have your clothes ready, as well as the necessary documents such as your medical history and insurance. Also prepare your payment. Instead of bringing cash, bring along a credit or debit card for a more convenient way of transacting. Don’t forget to bring along your mobile phone and charger so you can communicate with family, friends, and your primary care physician if necessary.
Aside from these items, also anticipate changes in your routine when you’re in the hospital. Make sure that there’s someone who can take care of your kids or cover for you at work while you’re recovering. If you can, also have a companion with you so they can help you move around or take care of the paperwork for you.
Miami is a vibrant city that offers some of the most breathtaking scenic drives in…
If you're thinking about purchasing our family car there are some significant decisions that you…
Introduction to Luxury Travel Experiences The journey becomes as rewarding as the destination in the…
We all spend a lot more time at home these days, whether by choice or…
Internet providers are now offering a faster type of internet - fiber. However, is this…
As daylight savings begins to make it's way, many parents face the challenge of helping…
This website uses cookies.
View Comments
These are very good tips.