Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 23)

CALL I’M ON VACATION AND NEED A PRESCRIPTION. SITUATION : SURVIVAL STRATEGY: Find a local pharmacy, and pack wisely. If you’ve forgotten a prescription medication at home, you can call your pharmacy and have it relay your prescription to a drugstore wherever you are staying. If you use a national chain, it’s even easier, as your records are part of a larger database from which the local pharmacy can pull information. Know this, however: Some prescriptions— particularly painkillers—are controlled substances and highly regulated. Getting reﬁlls on the road is much more complicated, if it can be done at all. Sometimes, a missing prescription isn’t the result of forgetfulness. You may want to keep your prescription in your carry-on when you travel, lest you arrive at your destination and your checked luggage goes vacationing to Aruba. It’s important to have a physician you can visit when you are not feeling well. You can find an expert in your area by calling 678-312-5000. Finding a Physician Is a Phone Call Away Questions, Questions You’ve been admitted to the hospital. Now what? Instead of trying to remember all the questions you have for the doctor, pull out a piece of paper and make a list of questions. Think through how you’re feeling and jot down the questions you need answers for—and prioritize them. According to Allison Hamlet, supervisor of patient representatives at Gwinnett Medical Center, patients can get flustered once they are admitted to the hospital—and all the important questions slip away because they have so many other distractions such as visitors in and out of their room. She suggests having a family member bring in a notebook so you can write down all the questions you have. So make a list. And use it. I’M CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF MY TEST OR PROCEDURE. SITUATION : SURVIVAL STRATEGY: Do your homework, and be well informed. A well-informed consumer is well armed. Check with your doctor before having tests done. Sometimes, physicians are afﬁliated with multiple hospitals, and you may ﬁnd that one offers services at a more cost-effective rate. Ask to have all costs spelled out for you. That way, there won’t be any surprises. Finally, look over every portion of your bill. Although unintentional, coding errors do occur. If you’re confused, check with the hospital’s patient advocate, who can walk you through the bill’s nuances. Another way to avoid sticker shock: Clear treatments or procedures through your insurance company in advance. Some people are scared of the math involved in deductions and copayments, so they stick their head in the proverbial sand, hoping they will get a bill that’s palatable. Trust us. It’s better to know what’s happening beforehand. Vim & Vigor · SPRI NG 2012 23

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
The Philanthropist Next Door
Special Delivery
Get Real
How Far We’ve Come
Patient Survival Guide
Perfect Attendance
A New Day
Lean on Me
Intimidated by the Gym?
What Is Your Volunteer Style?
A Prescription for Relief
PrimeTime Health
Reclaiming Form and Function
Nice Follow-Through
Out of the White Coat
SPECIAL: Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Spring 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center