special subjects
Being Admitted to the Hospital
Registration for Hospital Admission
The first step in admission is registration. Sometimes registration can be done before arriving at the hospital. Registration involves filling out forms that provide the following: Basic information (such as name and address) Health insurance information Telephone numbers of family members or friends to contact in case of an emergency Consent to be treated Consent to release information to insurance companies Agreement to pay the charges People are given an identification bracelet to be worn on the wrist. They should check to make sure the information on it is correct and should wear it at all times. That way, when tests or procedures are done, staff members can make sure that they have the right person. In many hospitals, the identification bracelet has a unique, personal barcode that health care providers scan prior to giving medications or other treatments or doing tests to ensure the proper care is given to the right person at the right time. In the United States, a federal law called the Confidentiality and HIPAA applies to most health care institutions and clinicians. The act sets detailed rules regarding privacy, access to information, and disclosure of individually identifiable health information, referred to as protected health information. 