Navigating the Hospital System

with Dr. Monique Nugent,

Hospitalist, Author, Physician Leader, and Advocate

This week on the Art of Aging, host Michael Hughes welcomes Dr. Monique Nugent, a hospitalist, author, and physician leader to discuss the intricacies of hospital care and the importance of patient advocacy. She emphasizes the need for understanding hospital systems, preparing for hospital experiences, and shifting focus from managing illness to true healthcare. Dr. Nugent advises on navigating hospitalization, including medication management and proactive care advocacy. The episode also covers the challenges of hospital discharge, the role of social workers, the significance of staying active in aging, a guide to better hospital experiences and patient-centered healthcare, and more.
Play Video

Notes:

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

  • Monique’s passion for Hospital Medicine (2:00
  • Hospital as a System within a System (3:03)
  • Role of a Hospitalist (4:38)
  • Costs and Expenses in Hospitalization (7:14)
  • The Hospital as a Social Safety Net (10:57)
  • Challenges in Hospital Transitions and Social Supports (11:38)
  • Value of Social Supports in Healthcare (14:08)
  • Patient Advocacy and Best Practices (19:26)
  • Medication Reconciliation and Polypharmacy (21:56)
  • Information is Safety (22:26)
  • Challenges of Interoperability Between Hospitals (23:43)
  • Discharge Planning (28:27)
  • Patient Advocacy (37:42)
  • Connecting with Dr. Nugent and Final Takeaways (42:14)
  • Dr. Monique’s book Prescription for Admission (45:12)

 

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com. 

Get in Touch

Copyright ©2025 All Rights Reserved