Everyone gets sick. It’s more difficult if the one who gets sick is your child. There’s the emotional suffering that parents suffer as a result of a loved one suffering. It’s also arguable that older people would be in a better physical condition to go through the sickness than a child.
And because everyone gets sick, especially children, it’s always better to prepare for that eventuality. Here are my thoughts as I sat in the hospital’s admitting section last week, waiting for my turn to be entertained by the hospital staff:
What to Think About even Before your Baby is Sick
The Hospital / Clinic. Some say they think better when under pressure. This may be true, but there are too many things to deal with when faced with an emergency. The last thing on our minds should be where to bring our kid. In other words, we should have a default hospital and a series of alternatives in case of emergency. So even before someone gets sick, scout the area surrounding your home, office or school. Check the facilities of the available hospitals or clinics. Ask around for the hospital’s reputation. Check the rates.
Check for connections. Now that you have your preferred hospital, it’s better if you know someone who works in the hospital (or someone who knows someone in that hospital). The obvious connection is your child’s pediatrician, if there’s one. Ask the pediatrician in what hospitals he/she is accredited. There’s usually more than one so rank them accordingly. While everyone should be treated the same, you’ll be attended to better when assisted by someone who knows the people in the hospital. It sucks but that’s how it is.
Medical Insurance. There’s Philhealth or the medical plan in one’s office. Sometimes the financial assistance provided by medical insurance amounts to a substantial amount. Sometimes the amount is negligible, but savings are always welcome. Make sure that contributions are updated or the appropriate cards are always available in your wallet. You won’t know when you need them and hospitals, as a rule, inquire if there’s a medical insurance in the admission process. You’re usually asked to pay a deposit if there’s none.
The fastest way. You have a hospital in mind, the connection, and the health cards. None would matter unless you get to the hospital on time. What’s the fastest available mode of transportation in case of emergency? What’s the fastest route? Have a dry run a couple of times — before emergency strikes. That’s the same principle in an earthquake drill for earthquakes or fire drill for fire. Everything will be automatic when the time comes.
Companion (Bantay). It’s difficult to be alone when bringing a sick child to the hospital, especially in emergency cases. You’ll be bringing only your wallet and your cellphone in all probability. No spare clothes or phone charger. No required documents for the insurance. You bring your kid to the emergency section and you’re interviewed for details. Then you’ll be asked to go to the admission section, fill up some forms, then wait for the availability of rooms. You shuttle back and forth, when you prefer to stay by the side of your suffering kid. That’s tough when you’re a single parent or when you have no relatives wherever you are. So make a prior list of friends or people who could help you in such emergency. Tell them that you may call on them in case of emergency. At least they won’t be as surprised when you do ask for help.
Control your temper. You see your child suffer and the staff act like it’s just normal. Of course it’s the usual business for them. But you want to make them act faster. You want to be prioritized, though it’s always crucial to remember that there could be other patients being attended to. So, try to control your temper. I must admit I find this hard to do, but I do it anyway. Of course we all have our limits. At least we’ve tried being nice before exploding.
