Someone's in the hospital or seriously ill
Who is who in the hospital?
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The attending doctor makes the medical decisions. The nurse is your daily contact. The case manager plans discharge. The patient advocate handles concerns. Ask each person their role.
What to do
- Ask every person their name and role and write it down. Badges are small and the team changes by shift.
- Find out who the attending doctor is. Residents and hospitalists may visit more often, but the attending leads the plan.
- Ask for the case manager or social worker for discharge, insurance and help at home.
- Ask for the charge nurse if the bedside nurse can't solve something, and for the patient advocate or patient relations office if a concern isn't being heard.
What to say
Could you tell me your name and your role on my father's care team? And who is the attending doctor today?
Ask the same question of each new face. It's normal, and it helps them too.
What to watch out for
Every situation is differentIf you’d like a second pair of eyes on yours, book a free 15-minute call.
Telling the wrong person. A worry about discharge mentioned only to a night nurse may never reach the case manager, and a billing question asked of a doctor goes nowhere.
Better done together
We’re here to help
Hospitals are full of people, and it isn't always clear who to ask. We help you work out who makes which decisions and what to ask each of them, so you get answers faster.
Every situation is different, and these are sensitive moments, so we look at yours with care. We often see what others miss, and we never take commissions from insurance companies: the only thing we are working for is what is right for you.
Free · 15 minutes · No pressure
The rule behind it
Hospitals that take Medicare must tell patients their rights and run a grievance process that says whom to contact, under the Conditions of Participation, the federal rules for hospitals. Many hospitals have a patient advocate or patient relations office for this. Concerns about quality of care or leaving the hospital too soon can also go to Medicare's Quality Improvement Organization.
Sources
- 42 CFR 482.13 — Hospital Conditions of Participation: patient's rights and grievances
- The hospital's patient rights notice
- The hospital's patient advocate or patient relations office
Amanda Alcodia
Education, not medical, legal or insurance advice.
Useful next steps
Start with the free Kit. If your situation needs a person, the intro call is free too.