You've got to be kidding! You, a post surgical patient, did not receive basis hygiene therapy during the first three days of your hospital stay? How could that happen? Wasn't anybody looking out for you?

Message? If you must be in a hospital for any length of time, make certain there is someone, family or friend, who frequently and unpredictably visits you to watch over your care.

When you are the patient, it is difficult to monitor your own care. You may not be fully aware of what is going on around you due to medications or the nature of certain procedures.

It is best to have a specified person who agrees to be responsible for overseeing the care that you receive during your hospital stay. Mistakes do happen, AND you can easily be charged for care that you did not receive. Sadly, these mistakes occur all the time, and the omissions and/or commissions can be, sometimes extremely, injurious to your recovery and future health status. That's a huge consideration.

When an acquaintance was moved from the recovery room to his hospital room, there was no customary hospital tub, with the basic equipment for personal hygiene. It was not brought until the third day of his stay. Most hospitals have the filled tub in the room when a patient arrives. The specified overseer can make certain it is available. You may be charged for it whether or not it is in place.

Visitors would not be likely to ask about baths; it's not the usual topic of conversation with a patient. Yet, close friends and family should check on basic activities of hygiene.

In the case mentioned above, the hospital's patient advocate reported two bedside baths (with the missing tub?) during the first three days of the patient's stay. But, according the patient's medical record, these would have had to occur on the same day. With this error, imagine the cost of treating infections.

Did you know that you can access your Medical Record? Many people do not know that this record is available to the patient. There may, or may not be, a fee to obtain this document, but a patient should know about his or her care in the hospital. . . and question this care.

The staff members at many hospitals are extremely busy during hectic times, often not available. It's a good idea to quietly record the time it takes to answer the alarm call whatever the circumstances. And inquiring about patient care can serve as a reminder to them of needed tasks, such as bathing, medications or feeding/dietary requirements. Such inquiry can also point out deficiencies in care.

While some physicians and staff welcome such inquiries, others may be more reluctant or downright resentful of your overseer's input. Regardless of their response, your advocate shouldn't be shy about asking. Maintain a professional demeanor but do ask. You deserve the best of the costly care, even if the hospital staff has to be reminded to get it. A timely question can help the patient avoid the negative consequences, both physical and financial, of inadequate care.

You can also have a detailed hospital bill rather than just a summary. This should be checked as best you can. There could be errors as a friend found when his newborn daughter was charged for the circumcision. Hello!

So, line up your family members and friends who want to do something for you and ask them make regular and unpredictable visits often to monitor your care. Assign one particular person, if possible, to receive any reports of unusual occurrences and to record them. You will, then, have a document should you later need to appeal your medical claim. It beats the "I said, you said” game!