Look Before You Leave

You may walk out of an emergency room bandaged, splinted, or medicated, but whatever you do, don’t leave confused. Most patients exit the ER without understanding their next steps, according to research from Northwestern University. (See the stats below.) It’s easy to imagine why: Your anxiety level is high, which makes it hard to pay attention. Meanwhile, time-pressured ER staff keep explanations brief, says study author James G Adams MD. So ask to receive discharge instructions before the doctor leaves the room. Then run through the details with the doc, and take notes.

 

80%: Didn’t know what they should do to man age their symptoms at home

79%: Didn’t know what symptoms would warrant a return to the ER

39%: Weren’t sure when to follow up with their doctor

22%: Were confused about their medication instructions

14%: Couldn’t accurately describe their diagnosis

 

 

Image from Stockexchange

 

If you liked this article, you’ll love these:

• No news is not good news
• High stroke
• The whiz quiz