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Old 07-26-2019, 08:54 AM
 
Location: Home is Where You Park It
23,856 posts, read 13,652,470 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Matthew_MI View Post
Personally, I’d want to stay the least amount of time in a hospital as possible. Patch me up and send me home. Too many sick people and germs. MRSA, c diff, tuberculosis, etc...
And that's exactly why people get sent home as soon as possible. Much safer to recuperate at home.
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Old 07-26-2019, 12:29 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,313,949 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Parnassia View Post
This is all anecdotal. For every one of these stories there are hundreds if not thousands with the opposite results. Medicine isn't an exact science. Things don't always go as planned. Sometimes complications happen regardless what anyone does or does not do. There could have been an underlying condition affecting the person's outcome that was only discovered after the fact. No two patients are the same. They respond to treatment individually and sometimes they don't follow discharge instructions. Broad sweeping generalizations are easy to make from the safety of your computer desk at home.
You are right: in some cases they keep you too long and the hospitals, though obviously are kept very clean, often much cleaner than our homes, the chance of contacting diseases in the hospital can be much higher than in our own home, plus most of us are happier in bed or laying around if we are familiar with our surroundings.
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Old 07-26-2019, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Dessert
10,846 posts, read 7,253,106 times
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I've had it both ways, staying too long (because I slipped through the cracks and nobody was paying attention) AND having to go back (infection, collapsed lung).

And once I even left against medical advice. Worked out okay.

On the whole, I'd rather go back if I had to than stay longer than absolutely needed.
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Old 07-26-2019, 01:36 PM
 
4,483 posts, read 9,259,015 times
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When my husband had surgery, we were told it is generally safer for people to recover at home, rather than in the hospital. First, there are fewer dangerous germs. (They did give a list of instructions for cleaning/disinfecting the home.) Second, most people are more comfortable and less stressed at home. They didn't give a third reason, but for us, eating at home is more healthful than eating hospital food.


One time a different hospital kept DH while they waited for some test results. He was fine, walking around, no problem, but they wanted him to stay, probably because we have good insurance. Dinner was supposed to be fried chicken, mashed potatoes (probably instant), a little blop of canned vegetables, and jello. He asked for an alternate meal, and I think gave him a turkey sandwich. The next day they were serving macaroni and cheese, but he declined, as we were just trying to get him out of there. How can people get well without real food?


Of course, there are cases when people should stay in the hospital. In a good system, most of the time, the right decision will be made. Sometimes, though, stuff happens, and you have to go back. I'd still rather go home.


When I had major surgery in 1999, I stayed in bed in the hospital for a couple days. A friend came and spent the day with me, and a couple family members visited in the evening. If I hadn't had visitors, I wouldn't even have had any water to drink, as the nurses were very inattentive and didn't respond to the call button. (I later learned that they should have had me up, walking, even that first day.) At one point they did come and move me to a chair, which is where I still was a couple hours later when my mom arrived to visit. She had to hunt down a nurse to help me back to the bed. When the surgeon phoned to check on me, I answered the phone. The doctor wanted the nurse, and it took quite a few calls on the button before a nurse finally showed up, mouth full of doughnut. The doctor was not happy.


I wouldn't want to stay in the hospital unless I absolutely had to.
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Old 07-26-2019, 02:49 PM
 
7,985 posts, read 5,349,141 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat View Post
I want out of the hospital as soon as I can, even when the hospital is very nice, like Stanford Medical Center, and serves you restaurant-quality meals. Please let me out. I don't care if you err on the side of discharging me too soon. I don't need a nosocomial infection. Thank you.
I agree! Get me out as soon as possible.
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Old 07-26-2019, 02:58 PM
 
31,676 posts, read 26,605,989 times
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What began with labor and delivery/maternity (those several day long stays if not a week or more for just a normal routine delivery with healthy mother and baby), now down to discharged < 24-72 hours after delivery has moved down to nearly everything else.

You have to be *really*, really ill to stay in hospital longer than a few days after say surgery or whatever. If you aren't well enough to go home, and or need care that cannot be provided at home, you're moved to a rehab/skilled nursing facility to finish your recovery.

Time of long hospital stays with a bed bath (or shower) each morning, linen changed once or twice a day, etc... are over for most part. You're lucky if an aide or nurse wipes you down with a wet wipe.

To some extent what many have said is true. You are much safer at home in most instances from acquired infections and so forth than in hospital. Many also feel far less stress in familiar surroundings and thus can rest as opposed to being in hospital, but still...

On the other side of things Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers simply won't pay for hospital stays beyond what falls under codes for various diseases/procedures. This is why nurses and doctors get slammed about charting and using proper codes. They have to justify why a patient is in hospital and what is being done to him/her so place can get paid.
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Old 07-26-2019, 03:38 PM
 
Location: Southern MN
11,970 posts, read 8,285,975 times
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My dad had a heart attack in his eighties and when he found out they were sending him home he begged them to keep him for a few days. Mom and I knew he was really ill because this was totally out of character for him.

The first night he was home he got up to go to the bathroom, fell and gashed his head open and we had to call the ambulance to take him back. Then they kept him for a week. Quite a long time for a bump on the head I think. It pretty much verified that he needed more hospitalization than was intended by insurance coverage.

I once had a heated argument with insurance folks that if they didn't pay for at least one more week's treatment for a woman patient (severe longstanding alcoholism with complications) it was nearly a death sentence. Their indifferent refusal was chilling. Only patient I ever went to bat for with m an insurance company and with good reason.

At that time there were key words and phrases that must be in the chart in order to meet the insurance company's approval. I don't know if that remains true but would expect so. Some standard must be met.
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Old 07-26-2019, 06:30 PM
 
Location: SW Florida
15,202 posts, read 10,210,220 times
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If you're on Medicare and feel the hospital is releasing you before you are ready there is a number you can call and have it reevaluated. Our local hospitals actually give you this number when you are admitted.
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Old 07-26-2019, 08:15 PM
 
13,754 posts, read 13,232,704 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Matthew_MI View Post
Personally, I’d want to stay the least amount of time in a hospital as possible. Patch me up and send me home. Too many sick people and germs. MRSA, c diff, tuberculosis, etc...
Staff? Did you mention that?
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Old 07-26-2019, 08:51 PM
 
Location: Southern MN
11,970 posts, read 8,285,975 times
Reputation: 44534
I hate it when I catch a case of the staff.
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