Since I’ve only been there once and I only know one other person who did medical stabilization at the UW-Health Hospital in Madison (not when I was there), this is really just my perspective. I wouldn’t consider this a comprehensive review of the ED protocol there.

When were you there, what level of care, LOS, etc.? Was there in fall 2023 on a med/surg floor (inpatient) for medical stabilization. I was there around a week. The other person I know who was there stayed about two weeks. It’s completely room-based care (I didn’t leave my room the entire week), so no idea how many people in the hospital are getting stabilized for an ED at any given point. Zero interaction with other patients.

Frequency of seeing providers: I met with my attending doctor daily (a general internist). I met with the RD in the morning on my first full day (admitted around 6pm the day before), one other time, and had one phone call with her. I declined meeting with psychiatry (meds were stable). I met with Case Management on my first full day for d/c planning and had maybe two other conversations with her during my stay. No psychologist/social worker for therapeutic support (maybe if you asked someone would meet with you? I’m not sure). No groups or structured activities or anything like that. You had an RN assigned to you daily and a CNA/sitter type person too (more on that later).

Admissions process: I really don’t have a lot of info here (and I don’t think the UW Health website says much, unless they updated it in the last two years). My OP team had connections with one of the adolescent medicine providers who specializes in EDs and has admitting privileges. Somehow they orchestrated my admission, though it took a few days. My psychiatrist contacted this doctor, gave her relevant clinical info, she did some behind-the-scenes work for me, and then someone from general admissions called me when there was a bed. I had to show up, check in at registration, and then someone took me to my room on the med/surg floor. No E.R. stuff first. I would think that you can admit through the emergency room, but I don’t know the criteria they use for admitting.

By the way, I was in my early 40s when I was there. I imagine most people getting stabilized have some link to adolescent medicine (so ages 12-25/26), but I don’t think there was any pushback about my age.

Typical day: It’s pretty unremarkable. In the wee hours of the morning, they’d wheel a scale in and also get vitals and labs. A couple times a day they’d do vitals, and I felt like they were drawing labs all the time (including in the middle of the night). They do place an IV upon admission in case it’s necessary and leave it in throughout your stay. Otherwise, the doctor would meet with you each day and the above-mentioned providers at random points. Nurses would stop in for meds, check ins, etc. Three meals and three snacks at specific times (no recollection of those details). Besides eating, vitals, labs, and interactions with the care team, the time was yours–though you had to basically stay in your bed. No restrictions on electronics, cords, etc. I pretty much just read, napped, talked on the phone, did some work on my laptop, and watched TV. I wasn’t really bored, mostly because I felt crappy and run down and just wanted to rest, but I was also only there a week or so.

Food/supplements: The RD picked everything for me. She did ask about explicit dislikes (as well as preferences), and my OP dietitian talked to her too upon admission. For some reason, my snacks were virtually the same thing, three times a day, every single day I was there (a small muffin or slice of banana bread. I think once I got yogurt as a snack). The meals were not excessive in portion sizes or volume. I remember having a breakfast sandwich and fruit; an English muffin, dairy, and fruit; a chicken sandwich and a side salad; a stir fry. Sorry, I don’t really remember many food details. Overall, the quality was fine. Decent hospital food. And manageable volume for where I was at. I don’t have any allergies or intolerances or preferences like vegetarian/vegan, so I can’t speak to that.

I also don’t remember the fluid protocol. I don’t struggle with fluids, but I was fine with the water they allowed me. It was adequate. I didn’t really bother to find out about things like herbal tea or soda. I don’t think it was ever offered. I do know that my doctor had to give permission for me to have caffeinated coffee, and after the first day, I got it daily at breakfast.

There were time limits on the meals/snacks (typical …probably 30 mins for meals, 15 for snacks), but pacing isn’t an issue for me. The policy was that if you couldn’t complete everything plated for you, the nurse would review your tray and you’d get the appropriate amount of supplement (Ensure+ at the time) to replace what you hadn’t completed. If you couldn’t/wouldn’t drink the supplement, they’d place an NG-tube. I did ask the RD if it would be drop/pull, and she said after the initial placement, they’d leave it in for a minimum amount of time (2 or 3 days?) before considering removing it. I completed everything with food/supplements.

Supervision, movement. etc.: I wasn’t allowed to leave my bed without assistance from the CNA. They were with me during meals and snacks as well as for a designated time after each meal/snack. If I wanted to sit in the chair or use the bathroom, I had to call for assistance. Bathroom usage was supervised for the duration of my stay (door cracked), and all output was monitored too. For showering, I had to ask as well (they didn’t seem to care what time I showered, though), and that was supervised too. I had to sit the whole time while showering. There’s also a camera monitoring system always on, so you couldn’t really just get up and move around when nobody was present (I think you could refuse the camera, but then you’d have a sitter 24-7). A few times I’d forget to raise the bed electronically when I wanted to sit up–and just sat up on my own–and someone would call me out through the monitor. I got along fine with the CNAs, and they were totally willing to take me around the hospital in a wheelchair. At one point, I thought I wanted to go outside (in a wheelchair), which they were game to do, but then I decided it was too cold out and changed my mind.

After-care: I had been on the waitlist for IED at Rogers for one or two weeks when I needed to get stabilized at the UW hospital, and at the time the Rogers waitlist was really long. The UW case manager was able to expedite my admission to Rogers. Even though I was on the waitlist when I admitted to the UW, I wasn’t really committed yet to going to Rogers. They kinda talked me into it at the UW hospital, though, and I did end up going. However, after discharging from the UW hospital, I had a few days before I admitted to Rogers and I went home. They didn’t make me do a direct transfer or anything.

Overall experience: It was fine and what I needed. It got me stable, and it did help get me into Rogers much more quickly. I’m not typically someone who struggles with rules and restrictions, though, so I was able to tolerate all that as well as can be expected. The nurses were great, too. No complaints really about any of the staff. If I needed med stabilization again, I’d go back …especially if the admissions process could be streamlined for me again! I also live in WI, so it’s just an easy convenient option for me.

Hope this helps some! Best of luck!