Description
1. Print important documents
Your hospital might not have current information in your file, even if you've been there before and your doctor is affiliated with the facility. To be proactive, pack a few documents (print them out in case hospital staffers don't have the time to upload the information in electronic form).
One document should be a list of your emergency contacts, chronic conditions, and medications (including supplements) and their doses. This is essential information that doctors use to make decisions about your care.
Another document should be a copy of your advance directive, which might include
- a living will detailing the kind of medical care you'd like if you're unable to make your own decisions
- a health care proxy form designating who'll make health care decisions if you can't (it's especially helpful when decisions aren't black and white)
- a POLST (physician orders for life-sustaining treatment) form signed by your clinician; this option for people with serious medical conditions turns your health care preferences into a medical order that must be followed.