Patient Information

Patients  | Visitors

From the moment you enter our hospital, we want you to feel that you are among friends. You're an important person to us--our reason for being here. We intend to make your stay as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
At Providence Health Center, a team of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, technicians, dietitians and many others work day and night to ensure quality medical care is delivered with a sincere concern for your well-being. Though many of us will never have the privilege of meeting you, we are all working together to serve your immediate healthcare needs.
This Patient and Visitor guide is intended to help you learn more about what it means and the adjustments that come with a hospital stay. You will find useful information about the many patient services available to you as well as helpful policies.
If you have any additional questions, please ask. We are here to serve you as our patient and our guest. We hope your stay with us will be a pleasant one.

When You Arrive

Upon arrival, you may want to have your driver drop you off at the Main Entrance of the hospital before parking in the Visitor's parking. Once you enter the building, you will take a left to the reception desk in Admitting, where an Admitting Clerk will help you with the Admission process. Main Admitting hours are from 8:00am until 5:00pm. After hours, admission will be through the Emergency Department.

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What To Bring

Please bring your insurance card with you, as well as the name and phone number of your physician. In addition:

• Please bring your identification card if you have Medicare.
• If you have group health insurance, bring your ID card plus any pre-authorization's needed. 
• If you are married, please bring your spouse's insurance coverage. 
• A list of your prescription and non-prescription medications you are taking, include the dose and frequency  If you bring the actual medication, we will ask that after they are reviewed by the nurse on admission that they are taken home. If no one is available to take them home they will be locked up in the safe until discharge.
• Any personal grooming items, sleepwear, slippers, contact lens or eyeglass case

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Medical Information

Whenever you come to the hospital, we will need to ask you for information that is relevant to your care. We keep details of your name, address, date of birth and physician. We also keep information regarding your health, medical conditions and treatments that you have received at this hospital. This information may be held as a paper record or in computer databases. We ask for this information so that you can receive the best care possible.

This information is kept on file, together with details of your treatment, in case you need to ever return. Everyone working for Providence Healthcare Network has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.

You are entitled to see your medical records, although this may not be possible on the day of the request. Your family and friends are not entitled to see your records, unless you specifically say so.

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Patient Safety

Providence participates with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in the 100,000 Lives Campaign. This is a campaign to put safety measure in place to improve patient care and provide a safe environment for patients. In addition, Providence, as a member of Ascension Health, participates in multiple patient safety initiatives as part of the Ascension "Call To Action". As a part of the IHI and Ascension campaign, Providence has programs in place to decrease the risk for falls and decrease the risk for the development of pressure ulcers.

Patients are assessed on admission for their risk of falls. This initiative is called the "Ruby Slippers/Falling Stars Program". If someone is found to be at risk for falls, different interventions are completed to ensure the patient is safe. These interventions include placing a pair of "Ruby Slippers" on the patient and placing a Star on the door of the patient room. These two interventions help all of the staff at Providence to easily identify patients at risk.

Patients are also assessed for their risk of developing a pressure ulcer. You may hear songs being played overhead on the intercom system every two hours. These are simple reminders to the staff to turn patients and toilet them, to decrease the risk of developing a pressure ulcer. In addition, this is a reminder to patients who are able to move on their own to change positions in bed/chair.

Providence has a saying that we want this to be a place where "patients want to come for care, physicians want to practice and employees want to work". Patient safety is a big part of this commitment.

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Orientation To Room

We hope that your room is satisfactory. If there is anything you need, please feel free to contact the Unit Secretary or one of the nurses. The large chair in your room folds down to make a twin size bed. The staff will be glad to furnish your family/visitor with linen.

To make an outside local call on the telephone, please dial "9" and then your number. If you need to make a long distance call, dial "0" and the hospital operator will be glad to assist you. Phones will not ring in the rooms after 9pm

The switches for the lights in your room are located on the panel behind the head of your bed. The red switch controls the large light directly over your bed. The two white switches control the softer, indirect light over your bed. Please feel free to ask the staff for assistance if needed.

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Visiting Hours

Hospital visiting hours are not specifically designated. Due to patient care needs and physician rounds, it is often better to visit between 11:00am and 8:00pm. Children may visit when accompanied by an adult and are not disruptive to other patients. After 9pm visitors will have to enter through the ED and doors are locked in other locations until 6am

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Mail and Flower Delivery

Flowers and mail can be sent to patients in the hospital. The full name of the patient should be included on the letter or flower delivery and the room number if known. If a patient is in the Intensive Care Unit, they will not be allowed to have flowers.

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As a comfort to your family and friends, waiting areas are available on each nursing floor. These areas are open 24 hours a day. We ask that you do not sleep or bring food into these areas.

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Smoking

Providence Health Center provides a smoke free environment and smoking is permitted outside of the facility outside the Cafeteria and in designated areas at the back of the Health Center. Smoking is not permitted in the front of the Health Center. At no time may patients smoke in their room.

Since Providence Healthcare Network is a smoke free facility we would like to make available tobacco alternatives. While hospitalized, please consider these alternatives to tobacco/smoking:

Nicotrol Inhaler
Nicorrette Gum
NicoDerm CQ Transdermal Patch
Nicotrol Nasal Spray
Generic Nicotine Patches
Anti-Anxiety Medication
Antidepressant Medication

Your physician will need to write an order for you to receive these alternatives, so please discuss this with your physician.

Your nurse can also contact the Respiratory Department for a smoking cessation counselor. Please let you nurse know if you are interested in talking with a counselor.

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Transfers

If during your hospitalization, surgery is indicated or your condition becomes less stable, it may be necessary for you to be transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. Because of limited space in the Intensive Care Unit, only your hospital provided admission kit and personal care items (toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, etc.) will be sent with you. Family members will need to take flowers, luggage, clothes, etc. with them should this occur. For family members wishing to stay in the Health Center, “Guest House” rooms are available at a reasonable price. Please contact the Admitting Office if you would like information regarding these rooms.

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Patient Advocate

Monday-Friday during the day you may be visited by a volunteer who is working as a patient advocate. These are advocates that are not employed by the hospital and make rounds to ensure all your needs are addressed. Should there be any issues that need to be addressed, the patient advocate will follow up promptly with the appropriate individual on the unit.

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Hospitalists are Internal Medicine physicians who only care for patients in the hospital. They do not have office practices. You may have a physician who requests the hospitalist see you while you are in the hospital. The hospitalist will treat you and coordinate any needed consultations while you are hospitalized and then will refer you back to your primary physician upon discharge for follow up care.

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Case Managers are Registered Nurses who are responsible for helping to coordinate your care while you are in the hospital between all providers and to help you with your discharge plans. Should you need continued care after you are discharged, Case Management will help to arrange this through Long Term Care, Rehab Settings, Home Care or Outpatient Services. Should you need medical equipment after you are discharged, Case Management will also work with you to ensure this is provided upon you leaving the hospital.

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Sitters

In event you wish to hire someone to stay with you during your stay, a list of agencies which employ sitters can be obtained from the Patient Care Coordinator assigned to this nursing unit. Sitter fees are the responsibility of the patient/family, and financial arrangements should be made directly with the sitter service.

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Linen Change Policy

Linen will be changed on a daily basis and will also be changed when soiled or at your request. Clean gowns, washcloths, and towels will be provided daily as needed.

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Computers

You will notice a computer in your room, with a screen and a keyboard. This is for the nurse’s use. Because we do the majority of our charting on these computers, please do not attempt to access them, allow children to play with them, or set any type of liquid on these computer shelves. We appreciate your cooperation.

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Televisions

Your room is equipped with a television with basic Cable. 

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Sleeper Chairs

Sleeper chairs are provided for family/friends who stay with our patients. Linens for sleeper chairs are available from staff. We ask that sleeper chairs not be unfolded until late in the evening and folded back by 8:00am. If there are extenuating circumstances where the chair needs to be unfolded during the day or early evening, please speak with your nurse/Charge Nurse regarding your request. Due to space constraints, only one sleeper chair should be used in a room at one time.

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Meals and Nourishments

Our meal trays arrive on the unit at approximately 8:00am, 12:00pm and 6:00pm. Patients receive a menu daily, in accordance with the diet your doctor has prescribed. We also have a Dietician available to assist you with your food preferences and dietary instructions. Visitors are encouraged to have their meals in the dining room located on the first floor. Food is not allowed in waiting areas.

The unit maintains a supply of juices, milk, regular and decaffeinated coffee, and crackers for patients. We also have a microwave oven for your convenience.

A guest tray may be ordered for a family member, by making this request known to the nurse. These are ordered on a per meal basis. The charges for these meals cannot be added to, or included in, the patient’s bill due to insurance reasons. To obtain a guest tray, the visitor should pay the Cafeteria Cashier in advance before:

10:00am for lunch
4:00pm for dinner
7:00pm for breakfast

The costs of guest trays are:
$4.50 for breakfast
$6.00 for lunch and dinner

Providence Plus Cards will be honored and will receive a 10% discount.

The Cashier will provide the visitor with a receipt that includes the patient’s name, room number, meal and date of the guest tray. A separate receipt is required for each guest tray, however the visitor may pre-pay for 3 meals at a time.

The guest tray will be delivered to the unit on the food cart with the patient trays and will be delivered to the patient's room by Nursing staff. Except in special circumstances, guest trays will be non-selective.

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Discharge Time

To help facilitate the flow of patients through our facility we have established a noon discharge time. On the day you are discharged from our facility, please make arrangements to have someone here to pick you up by noon.

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Pharmacy

Plaza Pharmacy is a retail pharmacy located within Providence Health Center. The pharmacy carries both prescription and non-prescription medications.

Benefits of using the Plaza Pharmacy are:

• fill your prescription before you are discharged
• you (or a family member) can pick it up before or as you are leaving
• refills can be transferred to your regular pharmacy, or you can have them refilled here
• most insurance plans accepted (please bring in your prescription card)

The pharmacy is open Mon. though Fri. 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. For more information contact Plaza Pharmacy at 254.751.4915.

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Gift Shop

Our gift shop is located in the Main Lobby of the Hospital. Currently we are open Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m
We offer beautifully decorated green plants, balloons, baby door wreaths, stuffed animals, cards, candy, jewelry, rosaries, seasonal items, home decor, candles, and lovely gift items for patients and new babies. We accept VISA and MasterCard, and will be happy to deliver selections within the hospital. You can reach us at: 254.751.4101.

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Providence has a limited number of Guest Houses available. These can be reserved through the Admitting Department and are available on a first come first serve basis. There is a small daily charge for the use of the Guest House. Each Guest House is equipped with a double bed, TV and toileting facilities including a shower.

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