Did you know that there are different types of hospital rooms? Most hospitals have semi-private and private rooms. If you don’t ask, you will likely be assigned a semi-private room.
Since I was with my dad and my baby daughter during all of their hospital stays, I learned the importance of which type of room we were in. When my baby daughter was in and out of the hospital, I wanted to be careful that she wasn’t exposed to illnesses of other children in the hospital. For my dad, a quiet room was very important to his rest and recovery.
So, what is the difference between the rooms offered in the hospital?
A semi-private room will likely be a room with two beds and a shared bathroom. There will be a curtain that divides your bed from the other patient in the room. The benefit will be that there will likely be no extra out-of-pocket cost for this room. The downside to this type of room is that you do not know what the other patient will be like, how much they talk (or are on their cell phone), or how often they will have their family in the room.
A private room will likely be a room for only one patient with either a shared bathroom with the neighboring room or a private bathroom. There is often an out-of-pocket charge for a private room unless it is medically necessary. The benefit to a private room is that you will likely get more rest because you will not be disturbed by another patient, or his or her caregivers and family. You also won’t have to be concerned about being near a patient who may have an illness that you don’t want to be around. Additionally, if you have family or friends visiting you, this will likely be easier in a private room since you will not be disturbing another patient.
Of course, all of these factors are dependent upon what your hospital offers, what illness you have and what your insurance covers. Check with the hospital before they assign you to a room. It is often harder to move once you are admitted to a specific room.
Which type of hospital room do you prefer for you or your loved one? I’d love to hear from you!
With MyHealthspin, You Spin Your Healthcare Your Way!
Learn more about what to do when things don’t go as planned with my ebook Easy Healthcare: Your Hospital Stay. You can get it FREE right now by subscribing to our blog.