Who are semi-private/private rooms in hospitals for?
August 6, 2013 11:18 AM Subscribe
I'm having double jaw surgery in a week. When I check in on the day of my surgery, I'll have the option to upgrade from a ward to a private or semi-private room. My insurance covers this, but as a healthy, unfussy 19-year-old, am I obligated to leave these rooms for those who need them more?
I live in British Columbia, and I'll be having the surgery here, but I've spent very little time in hospitals and so I have no idea whether this is even an issue. I'll only be staying one or two nights. I would be fine in a ward with four beds but obviously any extra privacy would be nice, for me and for visiting family. Would it be at all selfish for me to upgrade to a semi-private or private room?
I live in British Columbia, and I'll be having the surgery here, but I've spent very little time in hospitals and so I have no idea whether this is even an issue. I'll only be staying one or two nights. I would be fine in a ward with four beds but obviously any extra privacy would be nice, for me and for visiting family. Would it be at all selfish for me to upgrade to a semi-private or private room?
I assume it's first-come, first-served, and you wouldn't bumping anybody, so I don't see why.
posted by eugenen at 11:22 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by eugenen at 11:22 AM on August 6, 2013
It's about comfort. That's it. If the rooms were necessary for the care of anyone else, it would not be optional. I would imagine the people in every room gets the same level of care from the medical staff regardless of the type of room. Get what you prefer without guilt.
posted by inturnaround at 11:23 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by inturnaround at 11:23 AM on August 6, 2013
Would it be at all selfish for me to upgrade to a semi-private or private room?
No. In fact, hell no.
As someone who has spent too much time in hospitals lately -- and had both experiences, the privacy is worth it.
I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on Canadian hospitals, but if there was somebody who needed it more than you here, you'd get moved. But until then, use it.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:24 AM on August 6, 2013
No. In fact, hell no.
As someone who has spent too much time in hospitals lately -- and had both experiences, the privacy is worth it.
I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on Canadian hospitals, but if there was somebody who needed it more than you here, you'd get moved. But until then, use it.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:24 AM on August 6, 2013
My insurance covers this
They are for people with insurance that will pay for them (at least in the US, sounds like the same may be true in Canada).
Sharing a hospital room is fucking awful. Upgrade if you can, unless you want an 80-year-old roommate who coughs constantly all night.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:27 AM on August 6, 2013 [8 favorites]
They are for people with insurance that will pay for them (at least in the US, sounds like the same may be true in Canada).
Sharing a hospital room is fucking awful. Upgrade if you can, unless you want an 80-year-old roommate who coughs constantly all night.
posted by tylerkaraszewski at 11:27 AM on August 6, 2013 [8 favorites]
The more private the room, the easier your recovery. Hospital life is restless enough, you're checked frequently, fed on a schedule and there are weird noises and smells.
If you can get off a ward, do it. The quieter it is, the more rest you'll get.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:28 AM on August 6, 2013
If you can get off a ward, do it. The quieter it is, the more rest you'll get.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:28 AM on August 6, 2013
Look at it this way. You will have just had jaw surgery, how much talking will you want to do? the fewer roommates the better.
posted by Gungho at 11:32 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by Gungho at 11:32 AM on August 6, 2013
As someone who has spent too much time in hospitals lately -- and had both experiences, the privacy is worth it.
Same here and same here. If you're not yet convinced, how about these few words: "hospital roommate's very loud fluid drainage machine."
posted by griphus at 11:35 AM on August 6, 2013 [9 favorites]
Same here and same here. If you're not yet convinced, how about these few words: "hospital roommate's very loud fluid drainage machine."
posted by griphus at 11:35 AM on August 6, 2013 [9 favorites]
I'm also in Canada (Ontario) and I also had double jaw surgery once (when I was a year older than you, maybe), and I also was on an insurance plan that let me upgrade to a private room if I so chose.
It was worth it. My pain management was not great (the result of a miscommunication about when I should be dosed with steroids, itself compounded by a last-minute decision to switch me from a morphine pump to orally administered liquid Tylenol 3, which I found difficult to swallow and impossible to keep down), so I had difficulty sleeping even in the total quiet of my private room. Plus, I was frequently nauseous (residual blood in my stomach and the aforementioned T3), which didn't help. It would have been impossible if people were around.
This is not to spook you: even with not-great pain management, it was more of a dull ache than spitting pain and you will be fine. Seriously, getting my wisdom teeth out was higher on the overall pain scale, although the jaw surgery's discomfort (not necessarily pain, but discomfort) lasted longer.
But still, that all said, it was worth it; you won't be kicking some needy patient out of it.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
It was worth it. My pain management was not great (the result of a miscommunication about when I should be dosed with steroids, itself compounded by a last-minute decision to switch me from a morphine pump to orally administered liquid Tylenol 3, which I found difficult to swallow and impossible to keep down), so I had difficulty sleeping even in the total quiet of my private room. Plus, I was frequently nauseous (residual blood in my stomach and the aforementioned T3), which didn't help. It would have been impossible if people were around.
This is not to spook you: even with not-great pain management, it was more of a dull ache than spitting pain and you will be fine. Seriously, getting my wisdom teeth out was higher on the overall pain scale, although the jaw surgery's discomfort (not necessarily pain, but discomfort) lasted longer.
But still, that all said, it was worth it; you won't be kicking some needy patient out of it.
posted by flibbertigibbet at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've had plenty of hospital stays (including for double-jaw surgery), and have had shared rooms and private rooms.
You want the private room. Believe me.
posted by scody at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
You want the private room. Believe me.
posted by scody at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
The hospital will bump you if they need the private room (I think it's most often for people who's immune systems may be compromised)
posted by bonobothegreat at 11:39 AM on August 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 11:39 AM on August 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
Sleep is crucial to recovery, and it can be hard to get enough even in a private room due to all of the checks, tests, getting wheeled out for imaging at all hours, etc. Multiply that by the number of people in the room, then add in their TV use and visitors when you're trying to play catchup from the missed nighttime sleep. Even the most conscientious neighbor(s) will make your stay tougher.
posted by gimli at 11:42 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by gimli at 11:42 AM on August 6, 2013
FYI - there are other reasons for a private room, including that you either (1) have something that would be extraordinarily bad and communicable or you are immunosuppressed such that any exposure to even mild would be extraordinarily bad.
That said, wards are no fun. Depending on what's going on, you get far more rest than sleep in a hospital. Being in a ward skews it even further away from the sleep end of the scale. For example, I was in a ward where the patient in the bed next to me was woken up every four hours to make sure he could cough, which meant I was woken up at least that often too.
posted by plinth at 11:44 AM on August 6, 2013
That said, wards are no fun. Depending on what's going on, you get far more rest than sleep in a hospital. Being in a ward skews it even further away from the sleep end of the scale. For example, I was in a ward where the patient in the bed next to me was woken up every four hours to make sure he could cough, which meant I was woken up at least that often too.
posted by plinth at 11:44 AM on August 6, 2013
Also to look at it in a semi-mercenary way: The semi-private room is more revenue for the hospital and by extension the BC medical system (paid by your insurer). By taking the semi-private room you're actually putting more dollars into the system so it'd be a waste *not* to do it. Hell, it's almost your civic duty to do so.
posted by barc0001 at 11:45 AM on August 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by barc0001 at 11:45 AM on August 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
I think private rooms are the new trend in overall patient care and wellbeing. They provide increased comfort and privacy for recovering patients and limit the spread of pathogens.
My local hospital's emergency room is now 100% private mini-rooms (side curtains have been replaced with actual walls and there's a sliding glass door across the front) and upstairs they're slowly replacing all their double rooms with singles.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 11:51 AM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
My local hospital's emergency room is now 100% private mini-rooms (side curtains have been replaced with actual walls and there's a sliding glass door across the front) and upstairs they're slowly replacing all their double rooms with singles.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 11:51 AM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
Excellent answers above, so your question is probably already answered.
But: in case you still feel any guilt, think of it this way: in the ward with four beds will be people without the choice to get their own room, because their insurance doesn't cover it. By chosing the private room, you'll be offering both yourself AND them more rest and privacy than if you'd be there to share the room with them.
posted by Ms. Next at 12:21 PM on August 6, 2013
But: in case you still feel any guilt, think of it this way: in the ward with four beds will be people without the choice to get their own room, because their insurance doesn't cover it. By chosing the private room, you'll be offering both yourself AND them more rest and privacy than if you'd be there to share the room with them.
posted by Ms. Next at 12:21 PM on August 6, 2013
Vancouver area nurse here. You can try to get a private room but don't get your hopes up, depending on where you're going you may not have much choice. In my hospital private rooms are rather difficult to come by and are usually fully occupied by our immunocompromised patients and those we have to isolate because we suspect they have tuberculosis or something equally contagious. We often use semi-privates to 'cohort' patients with the same type of infection. If you do manage to get a private room, odds are that eventually you'll be relocated. Sometimes we admit patients that need isolation at three in the morning and have to move patients around then. I work ICU and nobody gets a private room unless they are contagious, immunocompromised or we are removing them from life support.
posted by makonan at 12:24 PM on August 6, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by makonan at 12:24 PM on August 6, 2013 [6 favorites]
If the semi-private or private room is medically needed for someone you won't get it, so you'll be competing for the room (in the sense of getting lucky in when you request it) only for people in much the same situation as you are.
That said, yes, if it's available you should request it.
posted by jeather at 1:00 PM on August 6, 2013
That said, yes, if it's available you should request it.
posted by jeather at 1:00 PM on August 6, 2013
I'd request it, if they have one free you'll get it, if they need it for someone for whatever reason you will get moved, so you aren't taking a room from anyone that has a real need for it. I suspect if it's anything like the Australian medical system all the private rooms will be filled already with higher need patients, but you might get lucky.
posted by wwax at 1:21 PM on August 6, 2013
posted by wwax at 1:21 PM on August 6, 2013
People with medical reasons for a private room will be more likely to get it - as was mentioned above, immunocompromised patients, etc. When I delivered my baby, I had to get a mag line for my pre-ecclampsia, and mag line patients automatically get a private room. So you'll essentially be competing with others who don't have a pressing medical reason. So - absolutely, request it. It's a million times better to recover in private.
posted by DrGirlfriend at 1:25 PM on August 6, 2013
posted by DrGirlfriend at 1:25 PM on August 6, 2013
Wellll...if this is an ethical question, I can't give you a cut and dry OK for the upgrade. The fact is, if you have the private room, someone else doesn't. The person who doesn't is likely the person who has crappier insurance or no insurance.
On the other hand, I work in a hospital and I can give an absolute and unqualified agreement with everyone here who says a private room will make a huge difference to your comfort and recovery.
You can't guarantee that by forgoing the private room, it will go to someone poorer/sicker/older/sadder/less resilient/whatever. So I guess on balance, you should just ask for the private room.
posted by latkes at 1:30 PM on August 6, 2013
On the other hand, I work in a hospital and I can give an absolute and unqualified agreement with everyone here who says a private room will make a huge difference to your comfort and recovery.
You can't guarantee that by forgoing the private room, it will go to someone poorer/sicker/older/sadder/less resilient/whatever. So I guess on balance, you should just ask for the private room.
posted by latkes at 1:30 PM on August 6, 2013
Where private rooms are medically necessary (issues of contagion or immunity), the hospital will provide them as a matter of course. Otherwise, semi-private and private rooms are available as comfort upgrades.
The upgrade from a ward to a semi-private room is so commonly included in people's extended health insurance in BC that hospitals tend to have more beds in semi-privates than in wards anyway. Private rooms are a little bit rarer, but if you can get one and your insurance will pay for it, have at it. If the hospital needs it for someone for medical reasons, they'll wheel you out so fast, it'll make your bed spin.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:31 PM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
The upgrade from a ward to a semi-private room is so commonly included in people's extended health insurance in BC that hospitals tend to have more beds in semi-privates than in wards anyway. Private rooms are a little bit rarer, but if you can get one and your insurance will pay for it, have at it. If the hospital needs it for someone for medical reasons, they'll wheel you out so fast, it'll make your bed spin.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:31 PM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
As a healthy but not terribly sociable 17 year old in Australia I opted for a private room when I got leg surgery, and it completely never occurred to me or my family that I shouldn't go ahead and do it if they were prepared to splash out the cash. The last thing I wanted while lying in bed for several days was to have to hear some guy with an annoying cough or someone's fussy mother sitting six feet away. It was awesome to be able to just sleep for three hours at 11am, or have the light on to read at 2am when I couldn't sleep, and not worry about anyone else.
Later, when I got my wisdom teeth out in a day surgery with general anaesthetic, I was in a shared room with four other teenagers, all of whom had their mother come and sit by their bed for the entire day like a pack of toddlers with separation anxiety, and just hearing the awkward conversations was super annoying.
posted by jacalata at 2:37 PM on August 6, 2013
Later, when I got my wisdom teeth out in a day surgery with general anaesthetic, I was in a shared room with four other teenagers, all of whom had their mother come and sit by their bed for the entire day like a pack of toddlers with separation anxiety, and just hearing the awkward conversations was super annoying.
posted by jacalata at 2:37 PM on August 6, 2013
Just an opposing piece of data:
I had knee surgery, 3 days in hospital about 10 years ago, and was in a private room. It was nice but I was bored and the door was open 24/7 just so I could see people's faces. The only time it even crossed my mind that a private room had perks was when we had to discuss delivering pain relief via suppository. I wheeled myself around a lot, but still: the physiotherapist coming for 20 minutes was the highlight of my day.
I had emergency surgery for peritonitis about 6 years ago and was on a ward. Visiting hours in that hospital were restricted; two hours in the morning, two in the evening. Even with glorious drugged sleep, that's still a lot of time to fill. The ladies in my ward were nice, and it was good to have people to chat with and swap magazines with and more room to walk without going into the corridors.
In summary: I have absolutely no preference, it really depends on the hospital and the ward.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:27 PM on August 6, 2013
I had knee surgery, 3 days in hospital about 10 years ago, and was in a private room. It was nice but I was bored and the door was open 24/7 just so I could see people's faces. The only time it even crossed my mind that a private room had perks was when we had to discuss delivering pain relief via suppository. I wheeled myself around a lot, but still: the physiotherapist coming for 20 minutes was the highlight of my day.
I had emergency surgery for peritonitis about 6 years ago and was on a ward. Visiting hours in that hospital were restricted; two hours in the morning, two in the evening. Even with glorious drugged sleep, that's still a lot of time to fill. The ladies in my ward were nice, and it was good to have people to chat with and swap magazines with and more room to walk without going into the corridors.
In summary: I have absolutely no preference, it really depends on the hospital and the ward.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:27 PM on August 6, 2013
Good luck exercising that benefit. One BC hospital I visited periodically converted the floor lounge to a patient room based on demand. I was advised by my insurance agent that my claim would almost certainly be audited as many people ask for the upgrade and then don't receive it.
Go ahead and ask, sharing really is awful, especially at night. Just don't get your hopes up.
posted by crazycanuck at 10:22 PM on August 6, 2013
Go ahead and ask, sharing really is awful, especially at night. Just don't get your hopes up.
posted by crazycanuck at 10:22 PM on August 6, 2013
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