June 04, 2010 01:36am EST 

There are over 115 million visits to the hospital emergency room every year. A victim who is shot in the arm will go through the emergency room process and receive necessary medical care going through a busy, likely hectic section of the hospital. There are, however, a number of things that you should keep in mind if you ever require an emergency room visit, God forbid.
The emergency room is a special hospital department for one reason: it serves medical emergencies, increasing the importance of the time factor in determining the type of health care you may receive. For this reason, it will be important for you to understand what has happened in the emergency room and what will happen after you leave the hospital. Here are 5 tips that you can follow to make your next emergency room visit a good one:
Always bring your health information with you: In addition to your insurance card, which you should carry at all times, you should carry an emergency health information card. A physician can benefit greatly from the dissemination of your health history. Be sure to bring your current medications, as they can add to the picture you paint for your physician in obtaining the right diagnosis and treatment for your emergency room visit. This step is particularly important, as it is the first and most important thing you can do to help you get the best treatment possible.
Ask your physicians questions: The communication between a doctor and a patient in a hospital has to be a two-way street. While I understand that some patients are more shy and possibly intimidated with the entire environment, it is important for you to speak up. After all, physicians are unlikely to give an answer if a question has never been asked! Make sure that you are 100% honest with your physician and give him or her all the information that you have. This is especially important in the hospital emergency room because, as mentioned before, time is a large factor.
Don’t go alone: You should also find somebody to go with you to the emergency room, whether it be a family member, friend, or spouse. This person can help give your health information to the physician, especially if you are too sick. They can also take notes about what the emergency room physician and nurses say and assure that discharge instructions are followed.
Make sure you understand the plan: It is important that you fully understand the plan for after you are discharged from the hospital emergency room. This can be achieved by telling your emergency room physician everything you remember and ask questions! Make mention about your medication plan, diet, and follow up.
Ask for a copy of tests and results to share with your family physician: You should always ask for your own copy of tests and results from your visit to the hospital emergency room. Although many emergency rooms automatically send a report to your family physician, keep in mind that it may get lost or take a while to arrive.