Hospital patient admission: overview, process & checklist

Patient admission process in hospital: checklist

Patient admission to hospital involves several steps that ensure that the patient is properly registered and prepared for treatment.

1. Login

The process starts with registration, during which personal data, insurance and transfer slips are entered.

2. Privacy statement

The patient receives information on the collection and use of personal data and must sign an appropriate privacy policy. Information on the collection and use of personal data is available in Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulated.

3. Insured status

The insurance card is read in to check the insurance status and ensure that the reimbursement of costs has been clarified. The rules for reading the health insurance card It is found in Section 294 SGB V.

4. Initial medical examination

This is followed by an initial medical examination by nursing staff or a doctor to assess the patient's health status. In addition, important information on allergies, existing illnesses and current medications is collected.

5. Assignment

The patient is then assigned to an appropriate ward or department, where further diagnostic measures and actual treatment take place.

6. Organizational

Finally, the patient receives all necessary information about the further course of their stay and any planned procedures.

7. Documentation requirement

All data and documents collected are processed in accordance with legal requirements (according to § 630f BGB) kept for at least 10 years.‍

Note: In the event of an emergency, the allocation is immediate. The detailed collection of data and further investigations are carried out after the patient has been stabilized.

What types of admission are there in the hospital?

There are various types of admission in hospitals, which are differentiated according to needs and urgency. The most important are:

1. Regular recording

This is done for planned treatments or operations. The patient is admitted to hospital by appointment. As part of this recording, all necessary preparations are made, such as anamnesis, blood tests and imaging. The patient remains an inpatient for the duration of treatment and recovery.

2nd emergency room

This involves the immediate admission of patients who need immediate medical attention due to acute illnesses or injuries. After primary care, a decision is made as to whether the patient will be admitted to hospital, transferred or released after outpatient treatment. The emergency department is available 24/7.

3. Outpatient admission

For treatments that do not require an overnight stay in hospital. Patients come to hospital for specific examinations, minor surgical procedures or specific therapies and can go home the same day after completing the measures. This type of admission minimizes hospital stay and enables a faster return to everyday life.

4. Inpatient admission

This is done when the patient has to stay in hospital overnight or for a longer period of time due to his medical situation. This can be the case both for planned procedures and for acute emergencies. During the stay, the patient is continuously monitored and treated until he is stable enough to be discharged.

What data is collected during patient admission?

When patients are admitted to hospital, the following data is collected to ensure optimal care. This includes:

1. personal data: Name, date of birth, address and contact details.
2. insurance information: Information about health insurance and any necessary insurance documents.
3. Medical history: Information on previous illnesses, surgeries, allergies and the current list of medicines.
4. Recent Complaints: Detailed description of current symptoms and reasons for admission.
5. Emergency contacts: Information about related parties who can be contacted in an emergency.

As mentioned earlier: In emergencies, the full collection of this data cannot of course always be carried out immediately. Primary medical care has priority here, and detailed information is retrieved after the patient has been stabilized.

How can hospitals optimize the patient admission process?

Hospital doctors and admissions staff often only have limited time for conversations with patients. This makes it difficult to efficiently record all important information while completing the necessary administrative tasks. Time-consuming tasks such as scanning and archiving documents further delay everyday hospital life.

With the help of Providers such as Nelly Can you digitize patient records in hospitals. This saves time reduces paper consumption and minimizes administrative tasks so that staff can better focus on patient care. Printed medical history sheets, paper documentation and the collection of signatures: It all happened once upon a time.

Convenient check-in from home

With Nelly, patients can be admitted to the hospital before the actual visit. Simply send your patients a link to digital medical history sheet, which they can easily fill out on their smartphone from home or in hospital. The process is completed by a GDPR-compliant digital signature.

The advantage: Even before the interview, you will receive a detailed preliminary anamnesis with all necessary details about your patients. Clinics have a high throughput of patients, and with Nelly, this process can be completed much faster. There is no need to type out medical history sheets, which saves valuable time in stressful everyday hospital life.

In addition, the anamnesis can be completed from anywhere: In hospitals, registration is usually at a different location than the ward itself. Long distances between registration and station can therefore be avoided.

Another advantage is that no additional tablets must be purchased, as is often the case with other solutions. Patients simply fill out the medical history sheets on their own smartphone.

Benefits summarized in empirical values: With Nelly, you can reduce paper usage by 80%, save up to 90 minutes a day and cut costs by up to 30%.

Sounds good? Then digitize now patient admission with Nelly! We would be happy to advise you on your individual case free of charge and without obligation.

conclusion

From registration to initial medical examination to assignment to the appropriate department — well-structured processes ensure optimal care when admitting patients, while poorly optimized processes can lead to delays, increased stress for staff and sub-optimal patient care.

Digitalization, for example with providers such as Nelly, can significantly improve the admission process. This saves time, reduces paper usage, minimizes errors and relieves staff. In this way, you improve patient care, as there is more time and mental capacity for individual care.

We are happy to advise you non-binding and free about your individual case.

Common questions

How does hospital admission work?

Admission to hospital begins with registration, during which personal and insurance-relevant data is collected. This is followed by an initial medical examination to assess the state of health. Depending on needs and urgency, the patient is either treated on an outpatient basis, prepared for pre-hospital treatment or admitted to hospital. In an emergency, recording is immediate and detailed information is added later.

What happens during an interview?

During an interview, personal data and medical history information are collected. The medical staff asks about current complaints, allergies, medications and previous illnesses. Details of the planned treatment and the further course of the stay are also discussed. The admission interview serves to optimally prepare and organize the treatment.

How long does it take to receive a patient in hospital?

The length of patient admission to hospital may vary. As a rule, the process, including registration and initial medical examination, takes about 30 to 60 minutes. Special features: 1. Complex cases with extensive preliminary investigations may require more time. 2. In emergencies, recording takes place much faster.

What should patients have with them when they are admitted to hospital?

Patients should have the following documents with them when they are admitted to hospital:

• insurance card
• If applicable Private insurance card/supplementary insurance card
• If applicable If applicable, written commitment to cover the costs of private insurance
• Referral/referral from a doctor
• If available: documentation relating to previous investigations
• If available: medication currently being taken

This checklist is relevant for all forms of hospital admission, with the exception of emergency situations. In such cases, the necessary information and documents are often submitted later.

Does a hospital actually have to accept patients?

Hospitals are required by law to accept emergency patients in order to provide emergency care. In acute cases, you must therefore not turn away a patient. In other cases, such as predictable treatments, uptake depends on capacity and availability. Patient admission is carried out in accordance with legal regulations and internal hospital guidelines to ensure appropriate medical care.