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Many people refuse to go to the hospital, believing that it brings bad luck. However, there are also those who refuse to leave once they are admitted, finding every excuse to stay for months or even years, becoming a headache for the hospital.
Dr. Chen De-li, an infectious disease specialist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, mentioned that he often receives requests from inpatients, sometimes even involving legislators, to extend their hospital stay for various reasons.
The most common reason is that elderly patients find it convenient to stay in the hospital, where they receive professional care and meals, and the cost is relatively affordable.
Some patients are involuntary "hospital hoppers" because their children refuse to take them home. Even after being cured and deemed fit for discharge, the family ignores the doctor's notice, often due to disputes over hospital fees, leaving the elderly in a difficult situation.
Some children believe it is cheaper to keep their elderly parents in the hospital, where they receive professional care without the need to hire a caregiver. After calculating, they find it more economical and thus plead for their parents to stay longer.
Due to the economic downturn, some patients have started using hospitalization as a way to make money, especially those with medical insurance that pays out for hospital stays. After a few times, they get a taste for it and turn hospitalization into a money-making tool.
Dr. Chen mentioned that there are indeed patients who refuse to leave, staying for months even after recovery, complaining of pain during doctor's rounds over minor issues.
Doctors are aware of these tactics but are often helpless. Dr. Chen pointed out that hospitals, especially public ones, cannot simply throw out patients' belongings. In cases of medical disputes, some patients might stay for two to three years.
Due to strict scrutiny by the National Health Insurance Administration, some long-term patients are denied coverage. When asked to leave, their families often complain or use connections to pressure the hospital, adding to the staff's burden.
In fact, staying in the hospital increases the risk of nosocomial infections. Severe pathogens, whether Gram-negative, Gram-positive, or Acinetobacter baumannii, can lead to sepsis and pneumonia, with high mortality rates.
Dr. Chen strongly advises that if a doctor deems a patient fit for discharge, the patient should not find excuses to stay longer. This not only reduces the risk of infection but also frees up beds for those in urgent need.
Source: http://mag. udn. com/ mag/ life/ storypage. jsp? f_ART_ID=160555
Beware of Hospital-Acquired Infections by Overstaying
Dr. Chen De-li, an infectious disease specialist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, mentioned that he often receives requests from inpatients, sometimes even involving legislators, to extend their hospital stay for various reasons.
The most common reason is that elderly patients find it convenient to stay in the hospital, where they receive professional care and meals, and the cost is relatively affordable.
Some patients are involuntary "hospital hoppers" because their children refuse to take them home. Even after being cured and deemed fit for discharge, the family ignores the doctor's notice, often due to disputes over hospital fees, leaving the elderly in a difficult situation.
Some children believe it is cheaper to keep their elderly parents in the hospital, where they receive professional care without the need to hire a caregiver. After calculating, they find it more economical and thus plead for their parents to stay longer.
Due to the economic downturn, some patients have started using hospitalization as a way to make money, especially those with medical insurance that pays out for hospital stays. After a few times, they get a taste for it and turn hospitalization into a money-making tool.
Dr. Chen mentioned that there are indeed patients who refuse to leave, staying for months even after recovery, complaining of pain during doctor's rounds over minor issues.
Doctors are aware of these tactics but are often helpless. Dr. Chen pointed out that hospitals, especially public ones, cannot simply throw out patients' belongings. In cases of medical disputes, some patients might stay for two to three years.
Due to strict scrutiny by the National Health Insurance Administration, some long-term patients are denied coverage. When asked to leave, their families often complain or use connections to pressure the hospital, adding to the staff's burden.
In fact, staying in the hospital increases the risk of nosocomial infections. Severe pathogens, whether Gram-negative, Gram-positive, or Acinetobacter baumannii, can lead to sepsis and pneumonia, with high mortality rates.
Dr. Chen strongly advises that if a doctor deems a patient fit for discharge, the patient should not find excuses to stay longer. This not only reduces the risk of infection but also frees up beds for those in urgent need.
Source: http://mag. udn. com/ mag/ life/ storypage. jsp? f_ART_ID=160555