Book your procedure & plan your hospital stay
It’s time to lock it in . Call your specialist and book in the procedure. An important step at this point is to ask about your recovery plan as this will help you plan what to do when you leave hospital and how long your stay will be.
Plan your hospital stay
You’ve done well so far, but there’s still a bit of preparation to do.
Do your hospital paperwork
Your hospital will give two short forms to complete at least 48 hours before your admission. The forms are called Patient Registration Form and Patient Health History. These forms are also used to ensure we pay claims for the stay and that members elected to be treated privately.
Prep for procedure
- Make sure you follow your specialist’s instructions on fasting before the procedure. Make sure you know if you need to fast and what things are banned (food only or liquids as well?)
- Take a shower if you’re allowed to. It will be harder after procedure.
- Don’t apply nail polish or make-up. Those things make it harder for the nurses to monitor your oxygen levels
Things to pack checklist
- Your Medicare card
- Your Peoplecare membership card
- Things needed for your treatment (Referrals, blood tests, scans, X-rays)
- Sleepwear
- Underwear
- Toiletries
- Non-slip shoes
- Your detailed medication list or all of your medicines in their original packaging
- Things to help the time pass (books, magazines, TV shows to binge on) – just be aware that if you choose to watch the hospital’s TV, you’ll be charged upwards of $25 for the pleasure, called ‘incidentals’
- Some cash or a credit card for parking and cafes, and incidentals like newspapers and TV
Other organising
- Double check the time of admission
- Arrange how you will get to and from the hospital
- Arrange care for pets/children/house
- Get some easy meals ready in the freezer for your return
Hospital Substitution Programs*
Get out of hospital earlier or recover where you’re most comfortable, better yet, avoid it completely with in-home hospital services. All you need is a referral from your specialist to be eligible.
*Hospital substitution programs Hospital at Home and Rehab at Home can ONLY substitute hospital treatments you are covered for on your hospital cover. Anything that is a pre-existing condition will have a 12-month waiting period. Exclusions and restrictions apply.
