Preparing for Your Visit

Planning ahead can help reduce the stress of a hospital visit. Whether receiving inpatient (staying overnight) or outpatient (going home the same day) care, testing, treatment or surgery, you and your caregivers play an important role in preparing for your visit.

In addition to specific instructions for what you'll need to do in the days before, the day of and the days after your visit or procedure, if you're staying overnight and during recovery, here are a couple of things to keep to do before your scheduled visit:

  • Know where you need to be and have directions and parking information on hand.
  • Check with your insurance company to determine how long your stay will be and what your benefits are.
  • Understand our billing and insurance policies and make any necessary financial arrangements ahead of time.
  • Discuss your beliefs about medical care with family care partners and physicians prior to your visit and ensure copies of advance directives, such as living will and health care proxy documents, are filed with the appropriate authorities.
  • Understand your rights and responsibilities as a patient of Yale New Haven Hospital.
  • If you need to arrange any special services, like a translator or hearing-impaired assistance, contact Patient Relations before your visit.

Things to consider ahead of time

Enroll in one of our free pre-operative classes to help patients, families and caregivers prepare for certain types of surgery.

Learn more about pre-operative classes

If you are scheduled to have an operation or surgery at YNHH, you will most likely be asked to come in for a pre-admission testing visit. This section contains information about scheduling and what to expect during this visit.

Learn more about pre-admission testing

Every patient has the right to make his or her own healthcare decisions. Advance directives are legal documents that tell us what your medical care preferences are in the event that you are unable to speak for yourself. Learn more about advance directives and how we can help make sure your beliefs are heard and respected.

Learn more about advanced directives

Learning about your condition and treatment options can help you make better choices about your medical care. It can also help you understand what to expect when you have a diagnostic test, visit the doctor's office or come to the hospital for a surgical procedure. For more information about your medical needs, explore our health library.

Explore our health library

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