Whether you work in healthcare, are the director of a hospital, or you are simply a concerned citizen trying to choose the right hospital for yourself and your family, it is important to know that not all hospitals are created equal. Many hospitals do not have the proper funding to provide the level of care necessary for most patients, and this is a shame.
It’s a good idea to hold hospitals accountable, and if you are involved in running one you should keep yourself informed on what people want to see in their hospitals. Here are 3 things every hospital should have.
Industrial Chillers
Temperature control is important in any large business building, but this is especially true in hospitals. An industrial chiller will not only ensure that the air within the hospital stays cool and comfortable for people receiving care as well as healthcare workers, but it is also crucial for keeping certain things such as medications, bodily fluids, and even organs – at an appropriate and safe temperature.
Ask if your hospital has high-powered chillers and if you find that they don’t, recommend that they change that.
Social Workers
Social workers or therapists are an important part of every hospital because unfortunately people staying in hospitals can die (whether expectedly or not) and there needs to be a system set up to help the loved ones they have left behind.
Social workers play the necessary role of the go-between for doctors and family members of patients. They are trained to deliver bad news as well as to help people deal after receiving such news.
Some examples of what they do is to set up therapy sessions for people who are grieving, get children into foster care or with a trusted family guardian when they have lost their parents, and help with funeral arrangements as well as navigating the worlds of medical costs and end of life care. Every hospital should have at least one social worker and if they don’t, that is a bad sign.
An Emergency Department
Every hospital should have some sort of emergency department even if it’s not a traditional emergency room. If someone is having any type of medical emergency, they will often go to the closest hospital without taking the time to see if they have an emergency room or not. Because of this, all hospitals need to have some trained staff that can handle common emergencies or help to transport people to a more equipped place if need be.
If you work at a hospital or are on the board of one, be sure to do what you can to guarantee that your hospital has all of these things! As a patient or family member of one, ask the important questions so that you or your loved one gets the best care possible.