What to do if you have questions about a hospital bill?
When you get your hospital bill: First, ask your doctor or the hospital's billing department to explain the charges. Find out how the hospital handles complaints about bills, and make your case. If you still have questions, you should contact the Medicare carrier that handles billing issues for your Medicare program.
What do you look for in a hospital review?
You'll find answers from patients about how well doctors and nurses communicated, how well patients' pain was controlled, and how patients rated their hospital. If you are discharged before you're ready: This is a big concern for many patients because insurers balk at long hospital stays.
How can I make a complaint about my hospital care?
You can also ask to speak to a hospital social worker who can help solve problems and identify resources. Social workers also organize services and paperwork when patients leave the hospital. If you are covered by Medicare, you can file a complaint about your care with your State's Quality Improvement Organization (QIO).
What to do if you get an infection in the hospital?
If you get an infection while you are in the hospital or have problems getting the right medication, you can file a complaint with the Joint Commission . This group certifies many U.S. hospitals' safety and security practices and looks into complaints about patients' rights.
Where can I get an answer to a medical question?
Find answers to your medical questions with these five sitesHealthiNation. While some sites deliver articles of medical information, HealthiNation uses videos to inform you about what a condition is all about.Livestrong.Medpedia. ... WebMD.Wellsphere.
How do you get a good hospital treatment?
You can get the absolute best treatment from a hospital staff by being a respectful, polite, and assertive patient. Communicate thoughtfully and respectfully with staff. Speaking up and communicating needs to be continuous. Partner with your health care team.
How do you get a patient to ask questions?
How healthcare professionals can encourage patients to speak upAsk more questions. ... Listen to the patient's answers without interrupting, and ask more follow-up questions when the answers are vague. ... Validate the patient's concerns. ... Slow down. ... Make eye contact.More items...•
How do you ask for a hospital review?
Ask at an Appointment If you have some one-on-one time with patients at the end of their visit, this can be a good time to ask patients for reviews. You might combine this with an appointment card or another written link, or use a tablet to bring up the review page directly.
Can you call a hospital and ask about a patient?
A hospital may notify a patient's personal representative about their admission or discharge and share other PHI with the personal representative without limitation.
What to do if a hospital treats you badly?
While you are in the hospital: If possible, first bring your complaints to your doctor and nurses. Be as specific as you can and ask how your complaint can be resolved. You can also ask to speak to a hospital social worker who can help solve problems and identify resources.
How would you encourage a patient to communicate?
Introduce yourself and explain your role in your patient's care. Review their medical record and ask basic get-to-know-you questions. Establish a rapport. Make eye contact when appropriate and help your patient feel comfortable with you.
How do you ask about patient health?
5 Critical Questions to Ask Every PatientWhat Are Your Medical and Surgical Histories? ... What Prescription and Non-Prescription Medications Do You Take? ... What Allergies Do You Have? ... What is Your Smoking, Alcohol, and Illicit Drug Use History? ... Have You Served in the Armed Forces?
Why do patients not ask questions?
Patients may feel reluctant to ask their physicians questions for several reasons. In broad terms, patients with diminished feelings of self-efficacy and those who view the physician as the “decision maker” are hesitant to express their opinions and to ask questions.
How do you get patient reviews?
Here are 10 simple ways to get more reviews from your happy patients. RepuGen. ... Just Ask Them Directly to Write a Review. It's easy, effective, and incredibly efficient. ... Link Your Online Listings from Your Website. ... Print Out Instructions. ... Ask via Email. ... Snail-mail. ... Make a Thank You Video. ... Ask Patients on Social Media.More items...•
Where do I lodge a complaint against a hospital?
They must lodge their complaints with the complaints manager or the office of the hospital chief executive officer. Alternatively they can call the following hotline numbers 0800 233 886 or 011 488 4366.
How do I complain about a hospital waiting time?
Contacting the CLCH PALS teamTelephone: 0800 368 0412.Email: [email protected]: PALS team, Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, 5-7 Parsons Green, London, SW6 4UL.
Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) Treatments
Monoclonal antibodies are synthetic proteins that mimic the immune system's ability to fight off harmful antigens such as viruses. Monoclonal antibodies are directed against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and block the virus' attachment and entry into human cells.
Antiviral Treatments
Antiviral medications interfere with viral processes. Like monoclonal antibodies, antivirals reduce the risk of severe disease in individuals with mild to moderate COVID-19. They are currently only approved for treatment of COVID-19 disease and not as a pre- or post-exposure prophylaxis.
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis
Although the monoclonal antibodies, bamlanivimab/etesevimab and casirivimab/imdevimab (REGEN-COV), received EUAs from the FDA for post-exposure prophylaxis against COVID-19, they are not currently authorized for use anywhere in the United States due to the prevalence of the Omicron variant.
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
Tixagevimab/cilgavimab (branded as Evusheld) is currently the only drug that has received an EUA from the FDA for pre-exposure prophylaxis against COVID-19 for individuals who are immunocompromised or have a medical contraindication for COVID-19 vaccines.
General Questions
Providers should review the NIH treatment guidelines as well as the product fact sheets before prescribing COVID-19 outpatient therapeutics. The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has developed a clinical implementation guide (PDF) as well as an outpatient therapeutics decision guide (PDF).
What do you do if you get an infection in the hospital?
If you get an infection while you are in the hospital or have problems getting the right medication, you can file a complaint with the Joint Commission . This group certifies many U.S. hospitals' safety and security practices and looks into complaints about patients' rights. It does not oversee medical care or how the hospital may bill you.
How to complain about poor care in a hospital?
How can I complain about poor medical care I received in a hospital? While you are in the hospital: If possible, first bring your complaints to your doctor and nurses. Be as specific as you can and ask how your complaint can be resolved. You can also ask to speak to a hospital social worker who can help solve problems and identify resources.
What do social workers do when patients leave the hospital?
Social workers also organize services and paperwork when patients leave the hospital. If you are covered by Medicare, you can file a complaint about your care with your State's Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) . These groups act on behalf of Medicare to address complaints about care provided to people covered by Medicare.
How long does it take to appeal a hospital discharge?
You should get a form from the hospital titled "An Important Message from Medicare," which explains how to appeal a hospital discharge decision. Appeals are free and generally resolved in 2 to 3 days. The hospital cannot discharge you until the appeal is completed.
Can you appeal a discharge plan?
The discharge planner will take your concerns to the doctor who makes this decision. If you are covered by Medicare or by a Medicare managed care plan, you can file an appeal about a discharge while you are still in the hospital.
Can a hospital discharge you until appeal is completed?
The hospital cannot discharge you until the appeal is completed. When you get your hospital bill: First, ask your doctor or the hospital's billing department to explain the charges. Find out how the hospital handles complaints about bills, and make your case. If you still have questions, you should contact the Medicare carrier ...
Questions to Ask a Treatment Center before You Go
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are varieties of treatments and treatment centers that can help you onto the path to recovery. Once you have made the decision to go to a treatment center, you then need to decide on which treatment center is right for you.
Is the Center Inpatient or Outpatient or Both?
One of the first things that you might want to know when evaluating a treatment center is whether the center offers inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, or both. Some centers will start you with inpatient treatment and then when you are ready they move you to an outpatient program. This is one of the more successful ways into recovery.
What Treatment Programs do they Have?
You’ll want to make sure the center you choose has the programs and alternative treatments you think will benefit you most.
Do they Offer Medical Detox and Medication Management?
If you are on a drug that needs a medical detox or are interested in medication for co-occurring illnesses then you will need to know that they offer it. Not all treatment centers have medical detox or medication management. Many of them only specialize in counseling.
Does the Center Offer Payment Options?
How to pay for rehab is one of the biggest questions on a patients mind. The cost of rehab is something that stops many from seeking treatment. Before checking into a rehab, you can ask if they offer a payment plan, accept insurance, or allow for government assistance.
What are the Rules of the Center?
The rules of the center are important if you expect to be able to stay in a treatment program. Knowing the rules before you check in allows you to know whether you can conform to them. If they have rules, you view as unreasonable then you should not choose that rehab center.
10 Questions to Ask
Who's the doctor in charge of me? You'll be cared for by a team of doctors and nurses, not your family doctor. The attending physician is your "go-to" doctor who understands the big picture and who discharges you from the hospital.
Christopher T. Addis, MD
Christopher T. Addis, MD, is an internal medicine specialist with LG Health Physicians Hospitalists.
About LG Health Hub
The LG Health Hub features breaking medical news and straightforward advice to help individuals of all ages make healthy choices and reach their wellness goals . The blog puts articles by trusted Lancaster General Health clinical experts, good 'n healthy recipes, videos, patient stories, and health risk assessments at your fingertips.
Clinical Implications of How Clinicians Answer Questions
As mentioned earlier, clinician-patient communications not only have a direct affect clinical outcomes and health, but they also have an indirect effect.
Why Answering Questions is Important for Business
Whether we’d like to admit it, healthcare —at least in the US— is run as a business. We can save the debate on whether or not this is a good thing for another time. However the reality is, that healthcare services are treated as a commodity. This means that our potential patients are “shopping” around for healthcare services.
What do Patients Really Care About?
In order to understand the best way to communicate with patients, we need to first understand how our patients think, what they care about, and what they want to know. Unfortunately, there tends to be a disconnect between what clinicians believe to be most important in providing quality care and what patients believe to be most important.
How to Effectively Answer Questions
Let’s wrap up with a few simple strategies for effectively answering questions that our patients or clients may ask. As a clinician, you obviously have a firm understanding of any clinical, anatomical, or physiological components of questions being asked.
Summary
It’s very easy as clinicians to fall into a mindset of simply leaning on our clinical knowledge and expertise when communicating with patients and clients. We rattle off statistics, prognoses, and recommendations like we’re taking a test.
What Is Inpatient Mental Health Treatment?
An inpatient mental health treatment center is one of the best ways to get through an acute (immediate) mental health crisis. Our inpatient mental health center is a safe place where you or a loved one can get the treatment you need when your mental health is putting you or the people you care about in danger.
Signs You Need to Go to a Hospital for Inpatient Mental Health Care
Asking for help or recommending that a loved one with mental health issues seek treatment at a hospital can be difficult. Keep an eye out for signs that you or a loved one need to go to the hospital for mental health treatment.
How to Get Help
Call the Utah Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) to speak to a Certified Crisis Worker. They will help you determine whether an inpatient mental health facility is right for you or connect you with other mental health services.
Residential Treatment vs Inpatient Mental Health Treatment
Treatment for mental health issues is available in a variety of settings. The right place for treatment depends on:
Why Choose Huntsman Mental Health Institute?
Huntsman Mental Health Institute (HMHI) at University of Utah Health takes a patient-centered approach to mental health care. Mental health issues are often misunderstood. Our HMHI inpatient care team at U of U Hospital has a deep understanding of all types of mental health issues and treats every person with compassion, dignity, and respect.
Mental Health Crisis Resources
We have many services to help connect someone in crisis with the right help. Some of the services are available directly through HMHI. Others are in partnership with our partners throughout the community.
