Visitors at a hospital

[writer for life]

Let's say Larry goes to see Bob, who is in a comma in the hospital...

Larry doesn't know Bob personally, but Bob tried to kill him once... Larry just wants to see how bad Bob was injured... would it be customary for the hospital to take Larry's info (name, address) before letting him see Bob?

I'm counting on a "yes" because when he wakes up, Bob needs to get Larry's address without Larry knowing about it.

[Joseph Gillis]

Those commas hurt like hell.

[nshumate]

Unlike some of your other questions, this is one you could easily answer for yourself. If you know a doctor or nurse, give 'em a call. If not, go to the nearest hospital, tell them you're a writer working on a fiction piece that involves a hospital, and ask if there's a public relations person you could ask a couple of questions about general hospital operations and policy.

[dclary]

Joe, at least he didn't fall into a semi-colon.

Or worse...

A colon!






To answer the question:

No hospital would release patient information to someone outside of law enforcement without a release from the patient.

[writer for life]

Thanks for the response guys... but Larry doesn't want any info, he just wants to see Bob.

[moorea01]

I've visited patients in a variety of hospitals and never had to give any info. Generally, you just walk right to the patient's room - including in children's hospitals. A bit scary when you think about it. (Some hospitals do close off visiting hours at night, but often there's a back door in -- really.)

If you call the hospital, they will give the patient's room number to you without you giving any personal info.

But ... if your guy is in a coma - he might be in ICU if it's a recent coma or in a nursing care facility if he's been in the coma a long time. Rules differ there. You won't be admitted to ICU if you're not an immediate relative. And nursing care facilities have their own rules - some you can waltz around at will, others not.

At any rate, highly unlikely your coma guy will get the visitor's address this way. Back to the drawing board ...

[ABZ18]

I think it also may depend on what hospital we are talking about. My sister is a psychiatrist and when I go to visit her at work I have to give everything except a blood sample!

But this is primarily because it is a Jewish hospital in mostly jewish neighborhood in New York etc. I might also mention there have been anthrax scares and such in the hospitals ER. I don't really know what it's like in other cities.

Aliza Z

[commandomonkey]

Never been in any way stopped or confronted, let alone having to give info, when visiting someone in a hospital. Never visited a coma patient ...

[NikeeGoddess]

I think the only times you would be stopped is entering the ICU where you must usu be a relative AND they usu have higher security gunshot patients (by putting them in the ICU unit.

[JoanEasley]

I visited a friend in the UCLA Hospital ICU. Nobody asked who I was except my friend's mother. I didn't have to sign in or claim I was related.

[Proveniebam]

Never came across having to sign into an ICU. Spoke to an ICU nurse, and she said basically ICU means continuously being monitored, but sometimes people can slip in-and-out unaware.

Sounds like you need a confrontation.

Larry enters ICU without being seen, starts badmouthing the guy, and is overheard saying "all I would have to do is unplug you now, what you think about that?" This leads to a scuffle, and Larry leaves behind a piece of evidence that can be traced back. E.g. a Rolex watch, business card, wallet, what have you.


*EDITED FOR FREAKIN' AWFUL SPELLING

[writer for life]

Good idea, thanks.

[GothamWriter]

So a guy gets the name and address of his attempted killer by checking the hospital register of who came to visit him... or... the killer comes to visit him and to say "I could kill you now" and leaves behind a business card?

Come on, you can do better than this. These plot points are laughable.