Understanding Medical Care

Hospital Stays

You may find yourself in the hospital with your child. This may be a planned visit, or it may be unexpected. While it isn’t always possible to plan ahead, here are some parent suggestions that may help you if your child is hospitalized.

• Keep a “to-go” bag ready for hospital stays. It should be something you can literally grab as you leave your house. Include a change of clothes for you and your child, toiletries, chargers for electronics, snacks, change for vending machines, and a comfort item (such as a toy, stuffed animal, video, etc.) Label personal items with your child’s name.
• Create a care notebook with your child’s vital medical records and information. It can be a physical binder or electronic version. Include a list of current medications and dosage schedule, any allergies, and history of medical procedures. Share your child’s likes and dislikes. There are online care notebook templates if you need ideas to get started (see Medical Records section).
• Know where you can find a list of your insurance’s preferred providers for medical supplies or durable medical equipment. Depending on the reason for your child’s hospital stay, you may need to get special supplies or equipment before going home.
• Have all providers explain to you who they are, what they are doing and why they are doing it. If you don’t understand, ask again. Have them explain until you are comfortable you understand. This keeps you in the loop and informed about your child’s care.
• Look into lodging information in case you need it. Some hospitals have a Ronald McDonald house; however, you usually cannot reserve a room ahead of time. Some hotels offer special hospital rates. The hospital may have a list of these hotels, or you can ask other parents or a hospital social worker for suggestions.
• Have a plan for the care of other children and pets, especially if unexpected stays are common. Create a list of people available with their phone numbers and keep it in your “to go” hospital bag. Have a few backups in case your primary person isn’t available.
• Be aware of typical bills that might come due while staying at the hospital, such as mortgage, rent or utilities. You might want to set up automatic payments if possible so it’s not a concern.