Patient and Visitor Information - Cambridge Health Alliance

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PATIENT/ VISITOR INFORMATION

CHA Phone List

Your Health Care Team
Interpreting Services
You and Your Family Are Part of the Team
Who is in Your Family?
Getting Patient Information
Patient Meals
For Your Comfort and Safety
Smoking in the Hospital
Discharge from the Hospital
Help with Hospital Bills
Health Care Proxy
Your Medical Record
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
The Right to Complain

YOUR HEALTH CARE TEAM

The best health care is a partnership between you and your caregivers. Many people will take part in your care and they talk to each other regularly. But to do the best job, we need your help. So please always ask your questions and tell us how you are doing while you are here.

Some of the people who may be part of your team:

Doctor:
Depending on your health care needs, your doctor in the hospital may be your regular primary care doctor or your doctor may be a specialist. Examples of specialists are surgeons, cardiologists or a specially trained inpatient doctor called a hospitalist. There may also be medical interns and residents involved with your care. They always work under a fully trained senior doctor.

Nurses:
Our nurses (RN's and LPN's) plan your nursing care and work with other members of the team. Your nurse is an excellent resource if you have questions.

Nursing Assistants:
They work with your nurse to help with your daily needs.

Care Management Nurse and Social Worker:
These nurses and social workers will help you plan for leaving the hospital. They will meet you early in your hospital stay. They will look at things like your insurance and whether it will cover your needs or what referrals you may need after discharge.

Housekeeping:
Staff will clean your room and bathroom daily and respond to any special needs for cleaning.

Dieticians:
These staff members will go over your special diet. They can help you learn about any dietary needs or special foods that are part of your discharge plan.

Other Team Members:

Other Doctors
Physician Assistants
Physical/Pulmonary/Respiratory Therapists
Students in Medicine, Nursing, Social Work, or other professions
Pharmacists
Interpreters
Phlebotomists (staff who take blood)

Midwives and Doulas:
If you are here to have a baby, you may be cared for by a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) or a doula. A doula is a woman trained to support you during pregnancy, labor and birth, and teach you to care for your new baby.

Psychiatric Care:
If you are here for psychiatric services, the staff also includes:

- Attending Psychiatrists: oversees the team involved in your care.
- Milieu counselors: Assisting patients with their treatment plan and safety monitoring.

You may want to write down the names of your team on the page at the end of this booklet.

INTERPRETING SERVICES

Medical Interpreters:
If English is not your first language, you have a right to an interpreter. This service is free to all patients.

To get an interpreter, ask your doctor, nurse or unit secretary.

Our interpreters can help explain things to you in your language and help you understand medical words.

Our interpreters ensure your privacy at all times.

Hearing-Impaired Services: We have TTYs or ASL interpreters for hearing-impaired patients. Please ask your nurse for help.

YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ARE MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH CARE TEAM

Taking an active role in your care has many advantages. It will help make your care as safe as possible. It will also make you a more informed health care user.

Your doctor, nurse, and pharmacist want your help. Don't be afraid to tell us about your needs.

What Can You Do?

1. Ask questions.
All questions are important. You don't need to feel worried about asking. So please ask

If you don't understand what someone is saying.
If you think we are mixing you up with another person.
If you're about to be anesthetized (put to sleep before surgery) without seeing signs that the team has double-checked your identity and your surgical site.

2. Be aware of daily routines.

Know what time of day you are supposed to get your medicine. If it does not happen then, tell your doctor or nurse.
Know who is caring for you. All staff wear name badges and should tell you their names and jobs. Be sure to ask if they don't tell you.
Notice that all caregivers wash their hands before they touch you. Ask if you do not feel sure about this.
Notice if the nurse/caregiver checks your identification bracelet or asks your name and date of birth before taking your blood or giving you medicine or blood.

3. Learn as much as you can about your illness or condition and how to treat it.

If English isn't your best language, ask for an interpreter. There is no charge for this.
Get good information. Your doctor, nurses and the library are places to get good information.
Write down important information and questions - or have someone write it for you.
Take all the time you need to understand any medical form or consent form.
Learn how to use any equipment that you will have to use at home.

4. Learn about your medicines.

Tell your caregiver about all medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, herbs, and tonics. If you can, bring a list of your medicines to the hospital.
Ask the name, the reason you are taking the medicine and any side effects. Ask if you think you are not getting a medication that you should be getting.
If someone brings a medicine you don't recognize, ask for information before you take it or before they start the I.V. (the needle in your arm for fluid).
Notice your I.V. Tell a nurse if it is running very quickly or slowly, or if the needle is causing you pain.
Remind your doctor/caregiver about your allergies when you are getting a new medicine.

5. Be a partner in your healthcare.

Talk with your doctor and caregivers about decisions and plans for your care. Make sure you agree with the decisions.
Ask who will be taking care of you, how long the treatment will last and how you will feel.
Ask what information a test will give and how it will help to decide what treatment you need.

6. Often one person, a family member or a friend, helps out as the "point person" and shares information with other family members. This person can:

Help you think of questions to ask and remember answers.
Stay with you, even overnight in the hospital.
Help the staff understand your symptoms better.
Help the staff understand your usual routines, life circumstances, and who you are as a person.
Review forms with you so you both know what you are signing.
Help you make sure that the healthcare team follows your wishes about care.
Help make sure that you know what care you will need at home, what problems to look out for and how to get help if there is a problem.

WHO IS IN YOUR FAMILY?

Your family is whoever is important to you. It may be a close friend, neighbor or a relative. With shorter times in the hospital, patients often need care when they leave the hospital. We believe family and friends play an important part in your care because they will probably be the ones to help you when you leave the hospital. If you want, we will work with and involve these important people in your care.

Family can be involved in many parts of your care if you and they want that. For example, a family member can go with you to tests, help with your hospital care or learn how to help you at home.
We can arrange for a family member to stay overnight. Please tell us what you need and we will try to meet those needs.

At the hospitals of Cambridge Health Alliance, your family is welcome to visit at any hour. If family members arrive after 8 PM, Security staff will ask them to sign in at the Information Desk.

Family members are welcome to use the cafeteria at each hospital. When the cafeteria is closed, staff on the unit can direct you to snack and drink machines.

There is parking at each hospital.

GETTING PATIENT INFORMATION

To protect your privacy, we give information about your condition or location only if you give us permission. When you say it is ok, people can get information about you by asking at the Information Desk at each hospital.

For patient information by phone: call the number below and ask for "Patient Information"

Cambridge Hospital Campus: 617-665-1000
Somerville Hospital Campus: 617-591-4500
Whidden Hospital Campus: 617-389-6270

MEALS

Patient Meals:
We work to give you fresh foods that will meet your nutritional needs. We try to offer a high quality menu with foods that you will enjoy.

Patient Meal Times

Breakfast 7:30 - 8:30am
Lunch 11:30 - 12:30pm
Dinner 4:30 - 5:30pm

If for any reason you are not on your unit at meal time, or have a delay because of a test, ask your nurse to get your meal. Also, feel free to ask if you have any other needs concerning food.

Choosing Your Meals
There are menus in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. Our hosts and hostesses will help you fill out your menu form. They can explain your diet and help you with other questions or needs.

You may be on a special diet because of your medical condition. Our staff will give you a written explanation of this diet. If you want more information about what you can eat on your diet, ask to speak to a Registered Dietician. Kosher meals are available upon request.

FOR YOUR COMFORT AND SAFETY

Identification
For your safety, you must wear your hospital ID bracelet until you leave. It has your name, date of birth, and other information. The bracelet allows hospital staff to identify you at all times, even if you are sleeping. As an extra safety measure, sometimes we will ask your name and birth date as a way to confirm who you are. For example, we will do this before giving you medicine and before taking any blood tests.

Valuables
Please do not bring valuable items or much money with you. We cannot pay for or replace anything that gets broken or lost. If you have things of value, we suggest that you give them to someone to take home. There is a hospital safe. If you want to store anything in the safe, ask your nurse or the unit secretary.

Spiritual Resources
If you would like to speak with a spiritual counselor, please ask your nurse. There is a meditation room or chapel located off the main lobby at each hospital. It is open 24 hours a day.

Telephones
Telephones are located at each bedside. There is no charge to use the telephone for local calls.

To make a call:

1. Local calls: dial 9 + 1 + Area Code + 7 digit phone number
2. Credit cards: dial 9 + 1 + 800-225-5288
3. Collect calls: dial 9 + 1 + 800-265-5328

To receive a call:

Your phone number is on the phone. Your family and friends may use that number to call you directly.

Mail and Flowers
If someone sends mail or flowers, we will bring them to you. We make deliveries to patients at least once a day.

Gift Shop
There is a gift shop is in the main lobby of each hospital. It sells small personal care items such as toothpaste, as well as cards, candy and small gifts.

The Cambridge Hospital: Open Mon-Fri. 8:30am - 5:00pm, Saturday 9:00am - 5:00pm

Somerville Hospital: Open Mon-Fri. 9:00am - 5:00pm

Whidden Memorial Hospital: Open Mon-Fri. 8:30am - 6:00pm, Saturday 11:00am - 3:00pm

Electrical Equipment
Please do not bring any personal electrical appliances with you. A battery-powered radio or CD / cassette player is ok. We can not be responsible if it gets broken or lost.

SMOKING IN THE HOSPITAL

For your health, and to follow state law, there is no smoking in any of our hospitals. Patients may not leave their unit to smoke. Some patients use their time in the hospital to stop smoking. We hope you will think about stopping as a way to improve your health. Talk with your doctor or nurse about ways we can help.

Visitors who want to smoke must go outside, to an area marked as OK for smoking. There is no smoking near any doorway outside the hospital.

DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL

Getting Ready to Leave
Your treatment team will work with you to plan for your discharge. They will begin to discuss this plan soon after you come into the hospital.

Some of the members of your health care team are nurses from the Case Management Department.
These nurses work with you and your team. They will start working early during your stay to make arrangements for what you may need when you leave the hospital. There are also Social Workers in the Case Management Department who can help you to get ready to leave the hospital.

Some patients may need a visiting nurse, a home health aide, a homemaker or special equipment. Some may need care at a rehabilitation hospital or a nursing home. Others may be going to our Transitional Care Unit (TCU) to help them get stronger before leaving the hospital. If you will need any of these services, your team will help you find the best care possible. They will also help to arrange your move from the hospital.

People often feel worried when they leave the hospital. We want to help make this process as easy as possible for you. Your team will give you clear information about your discharge plan. Please feel free to ask any questions and tell us any concerns you have.

When you leave, you will have the phone number for the unit you have been on. Call that number if you have questions. You can also call your primary care provider.

On The Day You Leave
Our staff will tell you the time planned for your discharge. If someone is picking you up, please ask that person to arrive at the planned time.

Check your closet, bedside table and the bathroom to make sure you have all of your belongings. If you have valuables in the hospital safe, ask the unit secretary to get them back.

Your Medicines
You may have been taking medicine at home before you were admitted to the hospital. Your nurses and doctors will ask what those medicines are, and when and how you take them. While you are here, you may need to take some new medicines. Before you leave, the doctors and nurses will check your medicines from home and any new medicines that were ordered while you were here in the hospital. Your doctor will give you prescriptions if you need them. The nurses will also teach you and your family about your medicines.

Follow-up Care
It is very important to have a follow-up appointment with your primary care provider (or PCP) after a hospital admission. We can help you make this appointment before you leave. If you don't have a PCP we can connect you with someone from our network. We have more than 20 primary care practices.

Learning about your condition and how to take good care of yourself
We want to help you understand your condition, treatments, and medicines. It is important for you to know about your health so that you can get well and stay well.

We will help you learn what you need to know so you can leave the hospital safely. We are happy to answer any questions you have about your health and self-care. Also, if you like, a family member or a friend can take part in any learning activities.

HELP WITH HOSPITAL BILLS

While you are in the hospital, the Case Managers can help you get information about your insurance or other financial plans.

If you have questions about your hospital bill or if you think there is a mistake, the Customer Service Department can help. You can call or come into the office. You may receive two separate bills after being in the hospital. This is because some doctors who see you in the hospital need to bill you separately. The Customer Service Department can help sort this out with you, and may ask you to call another office for doctor billing questions.

Our Customer Service staff speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. If you speak another language, we will get an interpreter for you at no cost.

The Cambridge Health Alliance Walk-In Customer Service Center is located at The Cambridge Hospital Campus, in the main lobby, next to the Information Desk.

Walk-In and Telephone Contact Hours:
Monday-Friday 9:00am - 4:30pm
Phone: 617-665-3200

Financial Assistance Office
The Financial Assistance staff can give you the papers to apply for MassHealth, Commonwealth Care, Free Care and Network Health. They can explain these programs to you. They can also help you fill out the forms. There is an office at each hospital:

Financial Assistance/CHA Connections: 1-877-637-2273

Cambridge Hospital Campus:
Location: Main lobby next to the Information Desk
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 4:30pm
Phone: 617-665-1046

Somerville Hospital Campus:
Location: First floor, inside the Admitting Department area
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 4:30pm
Phone: 617-591-4407

Whidden Hospital Campus:
Location: Level A near Admitting Department
Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 4:30pm
Phone: 781-389-7809

HEALTH CARE PROXY - MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT YOUR CARE

The Health Care Proxy is a simple legal paper. It allows you to choose a "proxy." A proxy is someone you know and trust who can make health care choices for you if you lose the ability to make choices for yourself.

If you already have chosen a proxy and filled out the paper, please give a copy to your doctor to put in your medical record. If you do not have a proxy, you may choose one while you are in the hospital. We can give you the form and help you fill it out.

Please ask your nurse or social worker about this if you have questions.

YOUR MEDICAL RECORD

You have the right to read your medical record. If you want to read it, you can set up a time with your nurse or doctor. We will help you understand what is written and answer any questions. You may also go to the Medical Records Department and ask for help.

You also have the right to have a copy of your medical record. If you need a copy of your record after you leave the hospital, call or go to the Medical Records Department. Because of state law, we have to collect a small fee for a copy. It takes at least a week to make a copy of your record. If parts of your record are not complete when you leave, we won't make a copy until it is complete, so it may take longer until you get a copy.

If you give permission, we will send a summary of your record to your doctor. There is no charge for this.

PATIENTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Patients' Bill of Rights:
It is the goal of Cambridge Health Alliance to give you the care that is right for your illness and to help you to get well as soon as possible. We are committed to maintaining the rights, dignity and well-being of all patients.
The following is a summary of your rights, and the responsibilities that will help us to give you the best care while you are in the hospital.
If you want a full copy of your rights and responsibilities in a Massachusetts hospital, please call THE Patient Relations Department at 617-665-1398.

Your Rights:

You have a right to all the medical care you need, if we offer this care at The Cambridge Hospital, Somerville Hospital, Whidden Memorial Hospital, or primary care site. Your caregivers will tell you about other choices for care if we do not have what you need.
You have a right to treatment that respects your values, beliefs, and privacy.
You have a right to clear information about your health problems and your care. Note: If you are here for breast surgery, breast cancer treatment or for childbirth, you have the right to specific information about our procedures. Please ask your caregiver.
You have a right to professional interpreter services at no cost.
You have a right to clear information about this health facility.
You have a right to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.
You have a right to the name and job title of anyone taking care of you.
You have a right to say yes or no to having a student care for you.
You have a right to choices about which treatments you want.
You have the right to refuse any treatment, including pain treatment.
You have the right to get medicines or other treatment for your pain. You may also refuse pain treatment.
You have the right to know about how much your treatment will cost.

What we ask of our patients:

Give correct and complete facts about your new and old health problems.
Bring identification and insurance papers.
Ask for help if you do not understand what you have heard about your care.
Give the hospital a copy of your Health Care Proxy if you have one.
Treat others with respect.
Follow hospital rules and regulations affecting patient care and conduct; including the No Smoking Policy.
Be considerate of the rights of other patients and hospital personnel and assist in the control of noise.
Provide the hospital with the information they will need about the payment of your medical care.
Work with your caregivers to get effective and safe treatment for your problem.

THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN

You have the right to complain if you have concerns about patient care or safety. Complaints will not hurt your rights as a patient. In fact, it helps us to know how we can improve our health care services to you. The nurse manager of your unit is one person you can request to speak to.

You can also call the Patient Relations Department at 617-665-1398. They may help you make a formal complaint or possibly help you to request an Ethics Consultation.

If your concerns are not resolved at this level, you can also contact:

The Board of Registration in Medicine
560 Harrison Ave, suite G4, Boston, MA 02111
Phone: 617-654-9800

Department of Public Health
99 Chauncy Street, 2nd floor
Boston MA, 02111
Phone: 617-753-8000

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is an independent, not-for-profit, national body that oversees the safety and quality of health care organizations. Consumers may share concerns about accredited hospitals by calling the Joint Commission's complaint hotline at 1.800.994.6610 or e-mailing complaint@jcaho.org.