How to Find a Person in a Hospital

Having a loved one, friend or family member in a hospital can be a stressful and difficult time for everyone involved. WebMD states that it is important for the patient to have a friend or relative who can stay at the hospital and advocate for them 1. In some cases, finding a person that has been admitted to a hospital can be difficult without a certain amount of information. There are a few things that can be done in order to make this process smoother and get you to your loved one's side quickly.

Find the Individual's Full Name

The first thing you need to do to locate a person in a hospital is to gather as much information as you can about the person that you are looking for. Without an accurate first and last name, most hospitals will not give out any patient information. If you can find out the individual's date of birth, that may also be helpful in making sure you have located the right person.

Contact the Hospital

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Call the hospital where your loved one is located and ask for patient information 2. Many hospitals even have an automated system you can utilize to look up the telephone number to the patient's room. If you are not sure which hospital the individual is staying at, call the hospital closest to their home first and then the next closest one, and so on.

Talk to a Representative

When you get the hospital representative on the phone, give them patient's first and last name. Be prepared to answer questions, such as the exact spelling of the person's name. Knowing more about the person, such as their home address and telephone number, can help if the name is incorrect.

Collect the Information

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Write down the room number, which floor the patient is located on and any other information that you are given by the hospital employee 2. If you are unfamiliar with how to get to the hospital, make sure you ask for directions or the exact address to input into your GPS.

Head to the Hospital

Take a trip down to the hospital as soon as you can and park in the visitor parking lot if driving. Enter through the main entrance, as this is usually where hospital employees are stationed to assist guests and visitors. The employee will be able to give you the patient's floor and room number if you don't already know it and directions to the patient's room from your current location.

Locate the Patient's Room

Follow the directions you were given to locate the patient's room. If you have trouble locating the room, you can stop and ask an employee or one of the nurses at the nurses' station.