Thereu2019s no reason to sneak out. If the patient doesnu2019t want to stay, and s/he isnu2019t under police guard or flight precautions (e.g., suicide hold), s/he simply calls the nurse in and says, u201cI want to sign myself out.u201d They will usually be asked to sign an AMA (u201cagainst medical adviceu201d) form, and that will be that. Whether or not insurance will then cover their stay is no longer the hospitalu2019s concern, since the patient then accepts responsibility for his/her own well-being after leaving.Sneaking out might sound more exciting, but all it really does is waste the staffu2019s time, since then they have to hunt all over the hospital for the patient. If your friend or family member is determined to leave, please do the honest thing and let the staff know before taking off.(NOTE: If the patient is under police guard or is a designated flight risk, s/he does not have the right to leave against medical advice. Do yourself a favor, and donu2019t get involved in his or her wish to create a risk to himself or others.)