My UAB Medicine Toolkit | Page 18

FAMILY & FRIENDS Important Points to Consider Transport Services Use the My Workbook section to write down the answers to the questions below: • Do I know the phone number to the patient’s room? • Do I know how to contact the nurses’ station? – Who may call to get information regarding the patient? – Will I need a code to get information on the patient when I call? • Do I know the plan of care for the patient? • Is there any important information that I need to share with the health care team on behalf of the patient? Our transport department is here to assist our patients and guests with transportation needs within the hospital. Your care team will help arrange patient transport between patient care departments. If a family member needs assistance, dial *55 to have our Guest Services department arrange transport services. Guest Services • Appoint a family representative Please choose one person to be our point of contact in the patient’s care who can also then communicate information to other family and friends. Our care team may give the representative a passcode to protect the patient’s privacy and security. UAB Medicine Guest Services is here to make your visit as comfortable as possible and to provide exceptional service. Contact us on any hospital phone by dialing *55. You may also reach Guest Services from outside the hospital by dialing (205) 934-CARE (2273). We’re here to help with: • Concerns & comments • Pastoral care • Hotel recommendations • Housekeeping • Patient advocacy • Language interpretation • Maintenance assistance • Notary public • Directions • Wheelchair services Welcome Desks Guest Services representatives at our welcome desks are happy to provide information including directions, patient room numbers, area hotel accommodations, points of interest, and/or help facilitate making your stay more comfortable. Desks are located throughout the hospital and The Kirklin Clinic of UAB Hospital. The North Pavilion 2nd floor desk and Women & Infants Center 1st floor desk are open 24 hours a day, including holidays and weekends. Finding Your Way – Parking & Maps UAB Medicine offers a variety of parking locations and options for visitors. Pricing for parking varies depending on locations and length of stay. A list of parking options is available in the Reference section. Please see a Guest Services representative at any welcome desk or dial *55 from any in-house phone for additional parking information. 14 Your Family’s Role Loving and caring attention from family and friends provides an important role in the well-being and speedy recovery of our patients. At UAB Medicine, we encourage patients’ families and friends to: • Spend as much time with the patient as possible We offer open visitation 24 hours a day for most areas of the hospital and encourage someone to stay with the patient at all times. Visitation may be limited in certain ICUs or when it interferes with the patients’ safety or the rights of others. Please ask your care team if there are any restrictions or precautions for visiting your loved one. – If you are not spending the night, please wrap up all visits by 10:30 pm. – If you are staying the night, we offer coffee throughout the night in the North Pavilion 2nd floor atrium. – If privacy is needed, or if the care team feels that the patient is too sick to have someone with them at all times, you may be asked to leave the room. Be there for doctor and nurse visits – and ask questions! The most important members of the care team are patients and their families. We encourage you to ask questions, become involved, and speak up on speak up on your or your loved one’s behalf. It is our belief that the support of a patient’s family and friends is invaluable. Their presence and involvement in the healing process can have a positive impact on delivering care more safely through enhanced communication with the health care team, a better understanding of the patient’s condition, and improved patient and staff satisfaction. We do not restrict or deny visitation privileges on the basis of age, race, gender, culture, religion, language, disabilities, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. We make every effort to ensure that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences. uabmedicine.org 15