Patient Care Services at Allegheny General Hospital

At Allegheny General Hospital, we supplement our outstanding clinical care with patient care services designed to make the patient's stay and transition home more comfortable.

Account Assistance Program		Mail
Advance Directives		Medical Record Requests
Assisting in Your Health Care		Notary Public
Automated Teller Machines		Outpatient Services
Beautician		Pain Medicine
Billing		Parking
Blood Donation		Pastoral Care
Bloodless Medicine		Patient Access Services
Case Management/ Discharge Planning Services		Patient Education
Cashier		Patient Representative
Dietary		Patient Requests for Test Results
Discharge		Patient Safety
Discharge Parking Instructions		Personal Items
Donations		Pharmacy
Ethics Policy		Private-Duty Nurses
Fire Drills/Safety		Private Rooms
Flowers and Packages		Rehabilitation Services
Food and Refreshments		Restaurants Nearby
Gift Shops		Smoking Policy
Hearing-Impaired Services		Social Work Services
Home Care		Sunrise
Hospice		Telegrams
Infant/Child Security		Telephone/Television
Integrated Medicine		Vaccines
Laboratory Testing		Visiting Hours
Leisure Reading		Volunteers
Lodging and Transportation		Waiting Room Guidelines

Account Assistance Program

If you or your family member lacks the means to pay all or part of the hospital bill, please inform your admissions representative during the registration process. The representative can provide you with information regarding the Account Assistance Program. At your convenience, a Financial Counselor is also available to explain and assist you and your family with our Account Assistance application process, along with other payment options. If you are not able to complete an Account Assistance Application during the admissions process, you may apply after your discharge by calling Billing Inquiry at 412-442-2500.

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Advance Directives

What is an advance directive?
An advance directive is a set of written directions that an individual develops while he is able to make decisions regarding his care. These directions are intended for use only if the patient becomes unable to participate in decisions. If you have an advance directive, it is necessary that you provide a copy to the nurse to place in your medical record.

If you do not have an advance directive, we will use this opportunity to provide you with information about preparing one, if you desire.

Why is an advance directive important?
Many patients admitted to a hospital are seriously ill or critically injured and unable to make their health-care wishes known. In these cases, it is important for the physician to be familiar with the patient’s wishes concerning life-saving and life-sustaining treatment. An advance directive such as a living will or durable power of attorney can provide this information for a patient who is unable to express his wishes or participate in decisions about his care. An advance directive also can be helpful to families. With the patient’s wishes clearly expressed, loved ones often do not need to make difficult decisions regarding the patient’s medical care.

What kind of information is contained in an advance directive?
A living will should specify what life-saving or life-sustaining treatments, including artificial nutrition and hydration, the person wants, as well as those he does not want and under what circumstances treatment should be withheld. For example, a person may specify he wants to receive artificial ventilation if his chances of recovering are good. The patient also may specify that he does not want to be artificially ventilated if he has little or no chance of recovering.

What is the physician’s involvement in developing an advance directive?
Because the physician will carry out the patient’s wishes regarding medical care, he should be involved in helping the patient develop an advance directive. With his medical knowledge and understanding of the patient’s wishes, the physician can provide advice and information and also explain the risksand benefits of different treatments.

Does an advance directive replace the physician’s judgment?
An advance directive is not designed to replace the physician’s judgment; rather, it is designed to help him make treatment recommendations and decisions in a manner consistent with the patient’s wishes.

If a patient is critically ill and cannot participate in decisions regarding his medical care, how does the family know what treatments he would want? If the family members know that the patient has developed an advance directive, it is their responsibility to provide a copy of the document to the physician for inclusion in the patient’s medical record. If the patient has not executed an advance directive or if the family is uncertain, the family should discuss concerns about life-sustaining treatment with the physician, who can explain the risks, benefits and likely outcome of the treatment.

Who can provide more information and brochures about advance directives?
Call the Department of Social Work Services at the Allegheny Campus at 412-359-4765 or call 412-734-6775 at the Suburban Campus for more information on advance directives.

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Assisting In Your Health Care

Safety in your care delivery is enhanced by your involvement as a partner in the health-care process.

Ask questions
Consider bringing a family member, friend or caregiver with you during your admission. They not only may make you more comfortable, but can also remind you of questions to ask, as well as remember any instructions you may receive. Feel free to ask as many questions as necessary to understand and participate in the direction of your care.

Talking with members of your health-care team
Your team includes a number of health-care professionals, including doctors, nurses, case managers, therapists, pharmacists, technicians and others. In a teaching hospital, residents and medical students are also members of your health-care team. Every person on your health-care team plays an active role in your care. Feel free to ask them questions about your care, as well as express your values and preferences. All members of your health-care team wear name badges that identify who they are and their job title.

Identifying yourself
While in the hospital, you may travel in many departments of the hospital, and be seen by many different people. As a partner in your health care, you should identify who you are and why you are there. When undergoing a particular procedure (such as surgery or an X-ray), please feel comfortable confirming the site of the procedure.

Understanding
An important part of assisting your health-care provider is understanding your medical condition. If you don’t understand your condition, medical tests and/or treatments, please discuss them with your health-care provider. Feel free to ask what may have caused the condition, how long it will last and how to get more information. If you don’t understand a medical test, such as a blood test or X-ray, ask your health-care provider to explain why it is important. Additionally, ask the doctor to explain the results and what they mean. The patient and family are responsible for outcomes if they do not follow the care, service or treatment plan.

Medications
Bring a list of all medications, including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements, including the amount of each you take and any side effects or reactions you have had from them. In the hospital, you may begin taking medications that are different from those you were taking prior to
your admission. It is important to understand what medications you are taking while you are in the hospital and why you are taking them. You should also know what they look like, what dosage they are, what times you are to take them, as well as their potential side effects. You should ask questions about your medications if they are unfamiliar to you.

Discharge
Once you leave the hospital, you may be taking one or more new medications or different dosages of the medications you were taking at home. It is important to understand the names, amounts, frequency and side effects of all the medicines you are prescribed to take at home by your doctor. In addition, you may want to discard your old medications to reduce your risk of taking the wrong one or wrong dosage. Please address any questions or concerns with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Understand any instructions you are given
When you leave the hospital, you will be given a list of instructions to follow. Following these instructions is important. Make sure the information is understandable to you and/or your caregiver.

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Automated Teller Machines

Automated Teller Machines are located near the Cafeteria on the second floor of the W.P. Snyder III Pavilion (inpatient hospital) and on the first floor near the James Street Garage elevators.

A change machine is located on the second floor by the vending machines.

At the Suburban Campus, an ATM is near the Admissions Department on the first floor.

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Beautician

Hair care services are available by appointment. Please call 412-921-2136 and ask for Ms. Patterson.

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Billing

Hospital
Charges for your Allegheny General hospitalization depend on the length of stay and services rendered. A daily room charge is assessed for room and board services. Laboratory tests, radiology procedures, physical therapy, operating rooms and other services, as well as any special supplies, result in additional charges.

A complete hospital bill may not be available when you are discharged. An informational statement will be forwarded to you when the final bill is complete.

Allegheny General will submit a claim to your insurance carrier. Your carrier usually will provide you with an explanation of benefits (EOB) that shows amounts paid to the hospital. If your account is not paid in full, you may be billed for the outstanding balance.

If you have questions regarding hospital bills during your stay, please contact your admissions representative. If you have questions after you are discharged, please call Hospital Billing at 412-442-2500 or toll-free at 1-800-547-0540; or Physician Billing at 412-442-2300 or toll-free at
1-800-537-1450.

In addition to hospital services, you will receive services from physicians during your stay at Allegheny General. These physicians will bill you or your insurance carrier separately for services provided. Besides your attending physician, you may receive bills from a radiologist (if you have X-rays), cardiologist (if you have an EKG), surgeon and anesthesiologist (if you have surgery), and any consulting physicians.

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Blood Donation

Voluntary blood donation is vital to our hospital, which uses more than 50,000 blood products annually. Allegheny General depends on Central Blood Bank of Pittsburgh for blood products. You can schedule a blood donation at any of the following locations:

Alle-Kiski Medical Center, Allegheny Valley Hospital 724-224-5100, Ext. 3810		Moon Township 412-262-3771
Armstrong 724-543-8473		New Kensington 724-339-3652
Butler 724-284-0038		North Hills 412-369-1200
Cranberry 724-776-9949  (pay phone)		Peters Township 724-941-9050
Downtown 412-209-7000 or 412-209-7010		South Hills 412-882-3636
Fairmont, W.Va. 304-366-3471		Washington 724-228-8500
Grove City 724-458-5442, Ext. 342		Weirton, W.Va. 304-797-9651
Monroeville 412-856-0505

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Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Center (BMS)

Bloodless medicine refers to medical care that does not involve the use of blood or blood products. You may seek bloodless medical care for yourself or your child for such reasons as a deeply religious personal belief.

Because of increased awareness of the risks associated with blood transfusions and a shortage of blood and blood products, researchers have developed medical and surgical interventions that reduce or eliminate the need for transfusions. These innovations range from simple changes in medical practice, such as avoiding excessive preoperative blood sampling, to complex technology that recycles blood that is shed during surgery. Because of
its complexity, bloodless medicine relies on a health-care team that includes physicians, nurses, laboratory staff and support staff specifically trained to care for and respect a patient’s right to non-blood medical management. Allegheny General offers some of the latest technology to meet the challenges of bloodless medicine and surgery.

A BMS Coordinator is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to answer your questions and discuss your concerns regarding Allegheny General’s bloodless medicine care. The Coordinator can be reached toll-free at 1-877-284-2100 or can be paged through the hospital operator.

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Case Management/Discharge Planning Services

The coordination of your care and discharge planning are interdisciplinary processes, which include you, your family/significant other, your physician and other clinical staff who participate in the delivery of your care. Shortly after your admission to the hospital, your bedside nurse will perform an initial assessment which includes your past medical history, your current health status, your wellness needs and your needs for discharge planning. A Clinical Case Manager will review this information and may visit you to discuss your care needs and discharge planning if indicated and/or requested. If you have any questions regarding your hospital stay and/or discharge planning, you are encouraged to discuss these concerns with your physician. Additionally, please ask your bedside nurse to refer you to a Clinical Case Manager or call Case Management directly at 412-359-3434 (Allegheny Campus) or 412-734-6857 (Suburban Campus).

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Cashier

Patient payments may be made at the Cashier’s Office, located on the first floor in the Main Lobby of the Snyder Pavilion. In addition, valuables may be kept at the Cashier’s Office during your stay.

The Financial Cashier Office is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon. Payments may be made to the Parking Office cashier window anytime, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Dietary

Each day, a Patient Hostess from the Food and Nutrition Services Department will visit you to collect your food selections. Lunch selections will be gathered in the morning, while dinner and the following day’s breakfast selections nurse or your physician of any dietary restrictions you may have. The Food and Nutrition Services Department also will make every effort to offer foods that conform to your religious preference.

Food and Nutrition Services provides guest trays to patients’ family members. Guest trays are available for all meals on request for $4.50 a meal. To request a guest tray, please call the Dietary Office at 412-359-3632 between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. or simply inform your nurse of the items you would like. The staff will provide a listing of available menu options for the day, and the tray will be delivered to the patient’s room during the next scheduled meal period. The guest tray charge will appear on the patient’s bill.

The staff provides 4-inch cakes to patients on their birthdays or anniversaries. Please ask your nurse to order a cake at least 24 hours before your special day.

Suburban Campus:
Menus for the next day are distributed each morning on patients’ breakfast trays. A Diet Assistant from the Food and Nutrition Services Department picks up menus beginning at 8:30 a.m. daily. The department will make every effort to offer foods that conform to your religious or cultural preferences.

Please notify the Diet Assistant or nursing staff if you would like to arrange for a guest tray. A menu will be provided listing available menu options for the day, and the tray will be delivered to the patient’s room during the next scheduled meal period.

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Discharge

To adequately prepare you and your family, your discharge plan begins within 24 hours after your admission to the hospital. (See “Case Management/ Discharge Planning Services” on Page 8.) This plan will be adapted to your individual health-care needs following your discharge to home or transfer to another facility should you require ongoing care such as skilled nursing care.

It is very important that you and/or your designated decision maker actively participate in this planning process. Several keys to a successful discharge/transfer plan include:

• Provide all requested information to your clinical team in a timely fashion. This includes information related to your home environment, such as the presence of steps or location of bathrooms/bedrooms in your home, as well as social support systems available to you.
• Provide copies of required legal/financial documents such as powers of attorney or guardianship.
• Complete, sign and return required forms in a timely fashion.
• Participate in patient/family/clinical team conferences when requested and maintain ongoing and timely communication with your physician and clinical team.
• When necessary, request family members/decision makers visit potential transfer facilities such as skilled nursing facilities in a timely fashion.
• Identify who will assist you following your discharge/transfer and provide contact information for that individual.
• Proactively plan for your transportation home or to another facility if necessary.
• Proactively plan for your financial responsibility of post-discharge services that may not be covered by your insurance, such as ambulances and medications.
• If you are unclear about aspects of your discharge plan, please ask questions and request assistance.

Your physicians will notify you of your exact discharge/transfer date the day before you go home. Most patients are discharged by 11 a.m. Please request your family member or ride to be here before 11 a.m. to assist with final preparations for your discharge. Additionally, it is recommended your family members take as many of your non-essential personal items home the evening before your discharge to minimize the amount of belongings needed to be carried out at the time of your discharge.

On the day of discharge, your physician will write prescriptions for any medications you may need for continued recovery. He may also ask you to schedule a follow-up appointment.

Before leaving the hospital, please do the following:

• Look in the closet, bedside furniture and bathroom for personal items.
• Ensure that any IV lines or other devices have been removed before leaving the hospital.
• Withdraw valuables from the Cashier’s Office at Allegheny General and from the Security Office at the Suburban Campus.
• Obtain prescriptions from your physician and understand the instructions about medication, daily activities or diet.
• Check with the nurse about appointments or follow-up outpatient procedures your physician has recommended for you.
• Sign all required admissions forms. Call Patient Access Services at 412- 359-3061 (Allegheny Campus) or 412-734-6101 (Suburban Campus) if you are unsure whether this requirement has been met.
• Please make sure that your family member or friend knows to pick you up at the Outpatient Parking area of the Sandusky Street Entrance or at the Main Lobby Entrance at the Suburban Campus.
• Upon discharge, have your family member or friend take all of your personal belongings to his vehicle.
• We ask that you send your family member or friend ahead of you during your transport to his vehicle so that he will already be at the Sandusky Street Entrance upon your discharge there.

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Discharge Parking Instructions

For your convenience, on the day of discharge, family or friends picking up patients are directed to park in the second entrance on Sandusky Street, “Outpatient Entrance.” They will be directed to parking accommodations and receive a parking ticket.

Upon returning to the garage with your patient, please stop at the Cashier/ Information Desk in the Outpatient Lobby where, upon presenting your discharge papers, you will have the parking ticket validated. Service associates and attendants are available at all times to provide directions and assistance.

At the Suburban Campus, family or friends picking up patients can utilize the complimentary valet parking at the front of the facility.

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Donations

Many of our patients and families ask how they can make a donation to Allegheny General Hospital. You may make a gift to create a lasting memorial to a loved one or to honor a deserving employee, physician or department. You may make your gift with a personal check or credit card, or the Office of Development at Allegheny General or Suburban Health Foundation can
arrange for other means of making a contribution, such as a bequest or the transfer of stock. The Office of Development raises money to support quality health care, community service, education and research at the hospital. For more information, call the Office of Development at 412-359-5110 or the Suburban Health Foundation at 412-734-6006.

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Ethics Policy

Allegheny General has a Code of Ethics and related policies and procedures to address ethical issues. These policies and procedures are available on request to all patients and family members. The patient or family member may directly consult the Ethics Committee regarding ethical questions relatedto treatment decisions.

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Fire Drills/Safety

Allegheny General operates a comprehensive Fire Safety Program throughout the hospital using sophisticated fire-detection and suppression equipment. This program requires that all hospital employees participate in an ongoing educational program on how to deal effectively with fire-related emergencies. Fire stations are only a few blocks away from each hospital campus and respond quickly to any potential fire. Allegheny General also maintains an internal Emergency Response Team that is trained to respond to fire emergencies.

Periodic fire drills are conducted to monitor the hospital staff’s ability to react appropriately to fire emergencies. Should you hear the fire alarm followed by a recorded message, please do not worry; it is probably a staff fire drill. Hospital staff members are required to close the door leading into your patient room during all fire drills.

Should you smell smoke or an unusual odor, please notify any of the
hospital staff. Should you see smoke or fire, please do the following:

• Remove yourself and other people from immediate danger.
• Pull the nearest fire alarm.
• Contain any further spread of heat and/or smoke by closing all doors in the immediate fire area.
• Seek a safe place away from the immediate fire area behind a closed door. Often, a safe place of refuge will be your patient room.

In an actual fire emergency, patients are instructed to stay in their rooms with the doors closed to keep out fire and smoke. In the unlikely event of a fire that produces excessive smoke, towels or other linen soaked with water and placed at the foot of the door leading to the corridor will help prevent smoke from entering patient rooms. Because the hospital is equipped with
an engineered smoke-control system, windows must always remain closed. You will receive additional instructions on what to do in a fire emergency from a member of the hospital staff, Emergency Response Team or the fire bureau/department.

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Flowers and Packages

Flowers, mylar balloons and packages will be delivered directly to your room. Flowers and/or plants are not permitted on the critical care unit because they present a potential hazard to patients with lowered resistance to infection. Flowers or plants for patients on these units will be returned to the florist, who will contact the sender.

Latex and rubber balloons are not permitted in any area of Allegheny General’s campus because of the associated risks involving children and severe allergic reactions to latex. If these types of balloons are delivered for a patient, they will be returned to the florist, who will contact the sender

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Food and Refreshments

Allegheny Campus:

Cafeteria
Patients’ family members and other visitors are welcome to eat in the hospital’s Cafeteria, located on the second floor of the Snyder Pavilion.
Hours
Monday through Friday	6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.
Saturday and Sunday (and holidays)	6 to 10 a.m. 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.
The Gift Shop
(located in the Snyder Pavilion lobby)
Monday through Friday	8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday	10:30 am - 5 pm
Cancer Center Gift Shop
Monday through Friday	10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Grand Grounds Coffee Cart
(located in the Main Lobby of the Snyder Pavilion)
Monday through Friday	6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Vending Machines
Snack and soda vending machines are located on most floors in the Snyder Pavilion, as well as in the Emergency Department waiting area, Trauma waiting area and outside the SICU waiting room. A food vending machine, microwave oven, snack machine and soda machine are located at the entrance to the Cafeteria. All of these machines are accessible 24 hours a day.
Suburban Campus:
Cafeteria
Monday through Friday	6:30 to 9:30 a.m. 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday (and holidays)	11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Gift Corner
(located in Main Lobby)
Monday through Saturday	8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday	10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Vending Machines
Soda vending machines are on the first floor in the Emergency Department waiting area, second-floor entrance to the Cafeteria, fourth floor next to the X-ray department and on the sixth floor by the elevators.

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Gift Shop

The Gift Shop at Allegheny General Hospital offers a variety of gifts, flowers, novelty items, mylar balloons, jewelry, greeting cards, magazines, snacks, beverages, and more. Need fresh flowers or a helium balloon bouquet delivered to a patient or employee? Call the friendly staff at the Gift Shop (412-359-3168) and they will assist with your selection and deliver it within the hour. Located on the first floor off of the main lobby in the Snyder Pavilion, the Gift Shop is open 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Similar but condensed merchandise can also be found in our Cancer Center Gift Shop, located on the second floor of the Cancer Center, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

At the Suburban Campus, the Gift Corner in the main lobby features gifts, toys, flowers, balloons, greeting cards, magazines, candy and snacks, beverages and much more. The Gift Corner is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Call the Gift Corner at 412-734-6063 if you have a special request.

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Hearing-Impaired Services

Please let your nurse know if you have a hearing impairment. Services listed below are available to Allegheny General’s hearing-impaired patients, free of charge. Please let your nurse know if you need any of these services during your hospital stay.

Personal amplifiers - Personal amplifiers are generic amplification devices that can be used by individuals with a mild to severe hearing impairment to improve communication.

Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD) - A TDD is a telephone system that allows a deaf individual to communicate by telephone by typing a message and receiving information in the same way.

Closed-caption television decoder - A decoder displays captions of the television soundtrack on the viewer’s television screen.

Sign language interpreter - Certified sign language interpreters can be scheduled to help with communication between deaf patients and medical staff. If any additional services are required to help you with effective communication during your stay, please discuss with your nurse and request a Social Work Services consultation.

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Home Care

Allegheny Home Care provides comprehensive home-health services for patients requiring care after discharge. Home Care personnel can provide medical services and supplies and arrange for health equipment to be delivered to the home. Your physician can order Home Care. For more information about Home Care, call 412-665-3555.

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Hospice

Forbes Hospice, as part of the West Penn Allegheny Health System, provides hospice and palliative home care for Allegheny, Beaver, Washington and Westmoreland counties. Forbes Hospice nurses provide comfort, care and support in conjunction with Counselors, Chaplains and Home Health Aides, and are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A hospice inpatient
nursing unit is available for those who aren’t able to be cared for at home. If you are currently in the hospital and have questions about Forbes Hospice, please contact the Clinical Case Manager assigned to your care. If you are no longer in the hospital, please call 1-800-381-8080.

Short-term inpatient hospice care is also available at Allegheny General and the Suburban Campus. Please inquire about this with your Case Manager.

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Infant/Child Security

AGH has implemented an Infant/Child Abduction Program. Inpatient infant and pediatric units are equipped with electronic monitoring devices to protect our youngest patients. All visitors to these units are required to obtain ID badges daily to gain entry. During normal visiting hours, ID badges can be obtained at the Information Desk, located on the first floor in the Main Lobby of the Snyder Pavilion. After 8:30 p.m., ID badges are distributed by the Security Department, located on the first floor of the Snyder Pavilion. Parents will be provided with written and verbal information on infant/
child security upon admission to the Obstetric and Pediatric Units. Parents should be alert and report any unusual behavior to their doctor or nurse or contact the Security Department at 412-359-3193 at the Allegheny Campus and 412-734-6090 at the Suburban Campus.

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Integrated Medicine

The Integrated Medicine Program is dedicated to integrating the best conventional and natural healing practices to strengthen the health and wellbeing of the individuals it serves.

The program is respectful of the emotional, social, spiritual and physical dimensions of health and illness. Through clinical research studies, the Integrated Medicine Program intends to further advance the acceptance of this new blend of medicine in the medical and scientific communities. By blending together the very best from modern medicine along with self-healing strategies and wisdom from ancient practices, our hope is to help you live a more peaceful and healthier life.

Some of the services include Mind Body Medicine that involves biofeedback, Yoga and Reiki treatments for relaxation, Traditional Chinese Medicine that incorporates herbology and Tai Chi and Body and Energy Work that provides therapeutic massage. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 412-359-8951.

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Laboratory Testing

Pathology and laboratory medicine play an essential and growing role in patient care. The services provided must be high quality, accessible to patients and time sensitive. Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) Laboratory takes pride in offering the highest quality services to both inpatients and outpatients. The AGH Laboratory Outreach Program meets the needs of patients
in the community by serving area medical offices, hospitals and nursing homes. The laboratory offers a network of community-based Patient Service Centers for patient specimen collection. These sites are conveniently located on the North Side and in Wexford, West Mifflin, Gibsonia and Kennedy Township (call Laboratory Client Services at 412-359-3542 for directions and hours of operation). We transmit results to AGH physicians via our laboratory information system to provide rapid results required for your care.

Quality is maintained by extensive use of quality control samples, proficiency testing and other quality monitors combined with professional oversight and review.

In this time of rapid change in our health-care delivery system, we stand ready to assist you by providing diagnostic laboratory services of excellent quality with most results available within 24 hours.

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Leisure Reading

Volunteers circulate a used book/magazine cart throughout the nursing units and waiting rooms for your reading enjoyment. If you miss the cart, you may call the Volunteer Services Office at 412-359-3067. Books can be returned directly to the cart. If you do not see the volunteer before you are discharged, return all books to the Volunteer Services Office on the first floor of the South Tower.

At Suburban Campus, a used bookrack is maintained in the Gift Corner for your enjoyment. Family and friends may visit the Gift Corner to make your selection or call the shop at 412-734-6063. Books may be returned directly to the Gift Corner.

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Lodging and Transportation

Lodging

Transportation

• Yellow Cab
  412-322-8100
• People’s Cab
  412-681-3131
• Port Authority
  412-442-2000
• Greyhound
  412-392-6513

Mail

Mail is delivered once a day, Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friends and relatives should use your full name, room number and proper Allegheny facility where you are a patient. The address for patient mail at the Allegheny Campus is 320 E. North Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15212,
and 100 S. Jackson Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15202, for the Suburban Campus. To send mail, give cards and letters to the nurse on your unit, who will place them in the mail drop.

Family and friends can electronically send a greeting card to an AGH patient just by logging on to the hospital Web site at www.wpahs.org and then clicking on AGH “Send an E-card to a Patient.” Choose from Get Well, Thinking of You, New Baby or Holiday greeting covers and then include your personal message. E-cards are printed and personally delivered by volunteers Monday through Friday within 24 hours of receipt, except holidays. The patient E-card service is provided free of charge.

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Medical Record Requests

To request copies of your medical records after discharge, you can call the Medical Records Correspondence Section at 412-359-4234 for the Allegheny Campus or 412-734-6111 for the Suburban Campus. An authorization for release of medical information will be sent to you to be completed and returned. Medical Records will then send the copies to the facility or person specified on the authorization form. There is a fee associated with copies for personal use. There is no fee for release of information to physicians/healthcare facilities for continuation of patient care.

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Notary Public

A notary public is available for patients and families by appointment. If you require a notary public’s service for medical or discharge purposes only, please call 412-359-4765 or 412-734-7291 to arrange an appointment through the Social Work Services Department.

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Outpatient Services

Ambulatory Care Center/Women’s Health Surgical Services on 11A provides surgical services for both inpatient and outpatient procedures, including many various procedures such as angiography, myelogram, bronchoscopy, lung and liver biopsy, certain chemotherapies, blood transfusions, medical infusions, research protocols and endocrine testing for both adults and children.

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Pain Medicine

Both campuses of Allegheny General Hospital offer pain management services for patients suffering from chronic pain after surgical procedures fail to completely relieve pain or when conservative treatments fail prior to considering surgery. An appointment with our pain management specialists requires a physician’s referral.

The Pain Management Center at Allegheny General Hospital provides comprehensive pain management services for patients throughout western Pennsylvania. Located within the main campus of Allegheny General Hospital on the 02 level, the Pain Center enjoys easy access to medical specialties integral to comprehensive pain management. Our clinical services include
evaluation and medical management of pain disorders.

At Allegheny General Hospital–Suburban Campus, the Institute for Advanced Pain Medicine’s highly trained staff of board certified physicians and specialized staff treat chronic painful conditions that have not responded to treatment or surgery. Both cancer and non-cancer pain, as well as conditions of the spine, are commonly treated.

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Parking

Patients who must park their vehicle in the garage during their hospitalization will receive a discounted rate. Please call the Parking Department at 412-359-6455 prior to your discharge. Reduced parking is available for family members of patients who have been in the hospital for more than 14 days. Your family members can receive reduced parking at the Cashier’s Office,
located on the first floor in the Main Lobby of the Snyder Pavilion.

At the Suburban Campus, patients who must park their vehicle during their hospitalization may do so free of charge in one of the many lots around the hospital. Free parking is also available for family members of patients and visitors. Complimentary valet parking is available from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Lobby Entrance.

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Pastoral Care

During your stay at Allegheny General Hospital, you may need help to tap those spiritual and personal resources necessary to maintain your sense of faith, hope and well-being. Through the Pastoral Care Department, chaplains are available to minister to the spiritual and emotional needs you and your family have at this time.

The role of the hospital chaplain
Chaplains are trained counselors who work as part of your health-care team, believing that your spiritual and emotional well-being plays an important part in your overall health. The chaplain respects your own faith journey and does not impose his or her beliefs or religious practices. When you or your family have spiritual concerns or worries, desire the sacraments of your faith, or just need someone to talk to or pray with, feel free to ask for the chaplain.

How to request a chaplain
Our staff of chaplains is available to provide support, guidance and counsel to you and your family. To request pastoral services, you may call directly from your room by dialing extension 4269. On evenings, nights and weekends, ask your nurse to page the chaplain on-call. If you desire a visit from a clergy of a particular faith or from your own pastor, priest or rabbi, our office will assist you.

When to call a chaplain

• When you are anxious about your condition
• When you are anticipating surgery
• When you receive bad news
• When you face difficult decisions
• When you have a religious question
• When you want someone to pray with you
• When you want to receive a sacrament
• When you are struggling with the meaning of your illness
• When you are grieving over a loss
• When you are having trouble sorting out your feelings

Pastoral counseling
Chaplains are available for pastoral counseling. You or your family may
make an appointment in person or by calling Pastoral Care.

Spiritual care and relaxation
Spiritually supportive programming can be found on channel 48 on Allegheny General’s television system.

Special services

• Protestant—Chaplains offer spiritual comfort, counsel and prayer at your request. You may also request communion, anointing or emergency baptism.
• Catholic—Eucharistic ministers visit regularly, offering communion to patients. A Roman Catholic priest is available to offer spiritual comfort and counseling, as well as the sacraments of the sick (anointing), and reconciliation (confession) upon request.
• Jewish—Prayer books, shawls and yarmulkes are available in Weisbrod Memorial Chapel. Electric Sabbath candles may be borrowed.
• Other faith traditions—Pastoral Care staff will help patients contact community resources of their own faith when possible upon request.

Weisbrod Memorial Chapel
Our chapel is located on the first floor of Snyder Pavilion near the information desk. It is open at all times for prayer and meditation to people of all faiths. Prayer requests may be written in a book in the front of the chapel. Prayer requests also may be called in to Pastoral Care; these will be acknowledged during worship services.

Worship service schedule
Please consult the bulletin board posted outside the chapel for the worship service schedule. Congregations in the area welcome visitors. A list of places of worship, times of services and directions is available at the information desk in the lobby.

Religious literature
If you would like a Bible, rosaries or religious and inspirational literature, please stop by the Weisbrod Memorial Chapel or call the Pastoral Care office. All material on display is free of charge. Tune into channel 14, the Spirituality and Relaxation Channel on the hospital television, for spiritually supportive programming.

At the Suburban Campus, there is a meditation room to the left of the lobby on the first floor for private meditation and prayer.

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Patient Access Services

The admission process is an important part of your hospitalization at Allegheny General Hospital. Through it, we gather vital information for your medical records and your insurance carrier. We also ask about your carrier’s second surgical opinion or precertification requirements. We then can help you meet those requirements. If your insurance carrier requires precertification, you should call your carrier before admission or within 24 hours of an
emergency admission to avoid a financial penalty. After we obtain your insurance
information, we verify coverage with your insurance carrier.

Part of Allegheny General’s mission is to provide necessary health-care services, regardless of an individual’s ability to pay. Our financial counselors are prepared to help you if you are experiencing financial difficulty. They will attempt to identify any charges that may not be covered by your insurance carrier and arrange an appropriate payment schedule for you. If you do not have insurance or your coverage is limited, our financial counselors can identify other programs that may assist you. (Please refer to the section titled “Account Assistance Program” on Page 3.)

If your hospital admission was scheduled in advance, an admissions representative may already have your insurance information. If your hospital admission was not scheduled in advance, it will be necessary for us to review your demographic and insurance information at the time of admission or as soon thereafter as possible.

If you have not spoken with an admissions representative, please call Patient Access Services at 412-359-6477 (Allegheny Campus) or 412-734-7291 (Suburban Campus). Our representatives will help you by answering questions regarding your insurance coverage.

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Patient Education

Materials
Educational materials about a variety of diagnoses, procedures and treatments are available to patients and families. Ask your nurse or physician if there is information available that describes your particular medical condition, diagnosis, treatment or procedure. Visit our Web site at www.wpahs.org for additional patient education topics.

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Patient Representative

A patient representative helps patients seek solutions to problems, identify concerns and address unmet needs. Shortly after admission, a patient representative may visit you. If you have any questions, problems or unmet needs, ask a staff member for help or call your patient representative at the Allegheny Campus at 412-359-3233 or 412-734-6086 or 412-734-6025 at
Suburban Campus Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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Patient Requests for Test Results

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has determined that patients have a right to access their laboratory test results. Allegheny General Hospital Laboratory prefers that patients call their physician to obtain their test results so that the patient and physician have an opportunity to discuss the results. Patients may, however, request their test results by calling Client Services at 412-359-3542 at the Allegheny Campus and the Medical Records Department at 412-734-6011 at Suburban Campus. Patients will be asked to sign an authorization for release of protected health information and laboratory policy may restrict the handling of certain tests. Laboratory staff will refer the patient to his/her physician for an interpretation of the test results.

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Patient Safety

Allegheny General Hospital is committed to creating and maintaining a safe Environment of Care for our patients, visitors and staff.

An effective Environment of Care uses processes and activities to:

• identify, reduce and control environmental hazards and risks
• prevent accidents and injuries
• maintain and improve safe conditions

Everyone is encouraged to take an active part in the Environment of Care. One of the most important aspects of the Environment of Care is infection prevention, with hand washing/hand hygiene being the most important step to prevent the spread of infection. Everyone is encouraged to clean their hands when entering and exiting a patient room or before and after taking care of a patient.

If you identify any unsafe condition or if you have any safety concern, please inform any member of your clinical care team, including your physician, the Registered Nurse who is providing your care, the Nursing Manager for your unit or any ancillary staff members. The Patient Representative is also available to discuss your concerns and can be reached at extension 3233
at the Allegheny Campus or 412-734-6086 and 412-734-6025 at Suburban Campus.

If you are unsure whether the concern you have is a safety issue, you are still encouraged to report your concern. Your involvement in the Environment of Care will help to make Allegheny General Hospital a safer place for everyone.

In an effort to improve our patients’ safety, we invite you to let us know about any patient safety concern that you identify. Please use the Patient Safety Suggestion Form that is found with the Patient Safety Suggestion Boxes at the nurses’ stations and throughout the hospital, to write the issue for our Patient Safety Committee to review and address. Your comments can be anonymous, but we encourage you to leave your name and telephone number so
that someone can contact you if your concern needs to be clarified. We will appreciate your taking the time to let us know your observation.

“Be Involved” Poster
In your room or in the waiting areas, you will see a poster that encourages you to “Be Involved” in your care. To help improve patient safety, patients are urged to BE INVOLVED! Everyone — physicians, health-care workers, nurses and technicians — have a role in making health care safe. AGH joins organizations across the country in working to make patient safety a priority. You, as a patient, can also play a vital role in making your care safe by becoming an active, involved and informed member of your health-care team.

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Personal Items

The hospital does not assume responsibility for loss of personal items, including clothing, lost or damaged dentures, eyeglasses or hearing aids. Unnecessary items should be left at home.

If you wear eyeglasses or a hearing aid, please store the item in a drawer when you are not using it. Dentures should be stored in the denture cup (with your name clearly written on the cup) provided and not in a Styrofoam drinking cup or on your meal tray, where they may be accidentally thrown away. Please ask your nurse for a denture cup if one is not given to you.

During your hospital stay, please send jewelry, credit cards, keys, medications and other valuables home. We recommend you keep no more than $5 for items you may purchase during your stay. If you cannot send your valuables home, you should request to have Security pick them up and secure them. If you forget to deposit your valuables, a nurse can help arrange the deposit and obtain the receipt for you. You must have that receipt when reclaiming your valuables. You may retrieve your valuables at any time during your stay. Upon discharge, you may request that your valuables be returned by Security to your room, or you can pick them up. The hospital is not responsible for valuables that you do not have deposited.

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Pharmacy

During your hospital stay, nurses will administer medications ordered by your physician. Any medications you bring with you must be shown to the nurse. Such medications must be identified and listed on your chart for the physician’s information. You may be asked to send the medications home with a family member or store them in the Pharmacy. Medications can be
picked up at the Pharmacy upon discharge. The hospital’s Pharmacy does not fill prescriptions after a patient is discharged; any prescriptions you take home should be filled by your pharmacist.

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Private-Duty Nurses

You, your physician or your family may request the services of a privateduty registered nurse, licensed practical nurse or nurse aide. The request should be directed to a nurse on your floor, who will submit a written request to the staffing office. The agency that supplies the private-duty nurse will contact you or your family after the request is received. The request will be honored if a nurse is available. Patients or their families are responsible for paying for the services of a private-duty nurse. Arrangements for payments are made in advance.

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Private Rooms

There are a limited number of private rooms at Allegheny General. Priority of private-room assignments is by medical necessity. A patient may receive a private room if one is available after physicians’ requests have been fulfilled. If so, an additional daily charge is incurred. Private rooms are assigned on the scheduled date of admission and cannot be held for a patient before
that date.

If you request and are assigned to a private room, a family member will need to pay an advance deposit on admission. If a private room is not available, your name will be placed on a waiting list. You will then be moved if a private room becomes available. To request a private room, please call Patient Placement at 412-359-6565 (Allegheny Campus) or 412-734-6101 (Suburban Campus).

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Rehabilitation Services

Allegheny General Hospital Rehabilitation Services provides comprehensive physical, occupational and speech therapy services both on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Upon physician referral, our skilled professionals will provide comprehensive examination and treatment. Your individualized inpatient treatment program will maximize your function throughout your stay. After discharge, if additional outpatient rehabilitation services are necessary, we offer the following convenient locations:

* Occupational therapy services offered at these locations.

If you need additional assistance, please call 1-877-660-6777, and our staff will be glad to help you.

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Restaurants Nearby

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Smoking Policy

As part of its mission, Allegheny General is committed to promoting the general health and well-being of current and future generations of the communities it serves. And as a leading health-care provider, Allegheny General recognizes the serious health risks associated with smoking and secondhand smoke.

Allegheny General has instituted a policy that prohibits patients and visitors, as well as employees, medical and house staffs and volunteers, from smoking throughout the hospital campus. Consequently, smoking is prohibited in all patient rooms. Smoking is only permitted in these designated outdoor smoking areas:

• In the courtyard seating area outside the Cafeteria
• Outside the rear entrance to the Allegheny Professional Building

At Suburban Campus, smoking is permitted outside the loading dock entrance to the second floor.

For smokers interested in quitting, Allegheny General’s Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehab Services offers a free smoking cessation course. For more information or to register, call 412-359-4662. Also, please speak with your nurse for smoking cessation information.

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Social Work Services

The services of professionally trained medical social workers are available to all patients and their families for crisis intervention, protective services, counseling and assistance with discharge needs.

Social workers can help you with problems that may arise during hospitalization. Social workers also can provide you with information about community programs and services. If you would like to speak to a social worker, ask a nurse on your floor to arrange a meeting or call the Social Work Services Department at 412-359-4765 (Allegheny Campus) or 412-734-6775 (Suburban Campus). There is a Social Worker in the hospital 24-hours a day.

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Ask Us About Sunrise!

In March 2005, West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) entered a new era when it signed a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract with the Eclipsys Corporation to implement an electronic medical record system. The electronic medical record enables clinicians to make the best possible decisions for patients across the continuum of care, on a single, integrated technology
platform.

Great care was taken in choosing a tool that would better coordinate the complexities of care throughout WPAHS. Prior to signing a contract with Eclipsys, WPAHS spent a year comparing different software systems on the market. When it came time to select a product, WPAHS overwhelmingly chose Eclipsys’ Clinical Manager system.

WPAHS selected the name Sunrise to represent the beginning of a new technological era. Sunrise is actually a combination of multiple interdisciplinary functions including Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), Nursing and Physician Documentation, Pharmacy Medication System and Emergency Department Tracking System. Eclipsys was chosen because it could effectively integrate all these applications into one database.

Sunrise helps clinicians locate patient information much faster, including the care a particular patient has already received, as well as the care clinicians intend to provide to the patient. The software serves as an enabler for clinicians by allowing them to focus more on patients and less on process. This can be accomplished because information is instantly available, and regardless of where physicians are working, they will be able to gain immediate access to patient health records. As a result, clinicians can share information seamlessly and complete patient hand-offs with greater efficiency and accuracy.

In addition, Sunrise offers another important feature – patient safety monitoring – via the product’s ability to facilitate patient care in conjunction with the Joint Commission, Department of Health and National Patient Safety Standards. The product supports patient safety goals related to medication errors while also ensuring that the right dose of medication is provided to the right patient at the right time.

Key Benefits of Sunrise Clinical Manager

• Provides secure, role-definable access to patient data from any location (local or remote).
• Optimizes patient care and reduces costs without changing clinical intent. Ultimate decision-making is always controlled by the clinician.
• Improves accuracy and precision of clinical decision-making based on streamlined data review, with customizable displays of all data and pointers to information in other enterprise databases.
• Enables real-time clinical decision support to realize quality improvement, using the full range of data in the clinical record.
• Enables creation of rules and alerts based on local priorities.
• Minimizes wasted paperwork by supporting clinical pathways integrated with order entry, such as nursing worklists generated from the order-entry process.

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Telegrams

Western Union can be dialed directly at 1-800-CALL-CASH. Charges will be billed to your home.

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Telephone/Television

At Allegheny General, charges for telephone and television use will be billed directly to your home telephone bill through Enhanced Billing Solutions (EBS).

This charge will show on your home telephone bill as “HOSP PHONE.” The amount will be $7 per day, with a maximum of $49 per hospital stay,plus any applicable state and federal taxes. If you are readmitted to the hospital within 15 days of discharge, you will not be charged for telephone or television usage during that subsequent stay.

If you do not wish to use the telephone and television during your stay, or have any questions regarding the service or billing, please call EBS Customer Service toll-free at 1-800-767-8138, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. So as to not disturb resting patients, incoming telephone calls are limited to certain hours. For patient calls received after 10 p.m., the following message will
be heard: “Out of courtesy to our patients who are recuperating and resting, AGH does not connect telephone calls to patient rooms after 10 p.m. Please call back between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Thank you for your consideration.”

To call departments within the hospital, dial only the last four numbers. For television repair, please call 412-359-8400.

For the Suburban Campus, charges for telephone service use will be billed directly to your home telephone bill through United Tele-Management Corporation (UTC). The amount will be $5 per day with a maximum of $99 per hospital stay, plus any applicable state and federal taxes.

If you do not wish to use the telephone service during your stay, or have any questions regarding the service or billing, please call UTC customer service toll-free at 1-800-225-5382 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To call departments within the hospital, dial only the last four numbers. For television repair, please call 412-734-6000.

Dialing Instructions

• Local calls: There is no additional cost for local calls (any calls in the 412,
  724 and 878 area codes). To dial a local call, dial 9 + Area Code + sevendigit
  number.
• Toll-free calls: There is no additional cost for toll-free calls (to area codes
  800, 877, 866 and 855). To dial a toll-free call, dial 9 + 1 + toll-free number.
• Long distance and all other calls: Appropriate charges will apply to these
  calls. Before placing your call, determine the method of payment (collect call,
  credit card call or bill to home telephone number). Please have the necessary
  payment information in front of you so you can input it or give it to an
  operator, if needed.
• To dial a local toll or long distance call, dial 9 + 1 + Area Code + sevendigit
  number. You will be connected to an automated attendant and given the
  option to enter the information yourself or speak with an operator who will
  assist you.

Cell phones
Personal cell phone usage is not permitted in patient rooms. Cell phone
usage is also not permitted by patients and visitors in other areas of the
hospital where notices are posted.

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Vaccines

If you would like to receive the pneumonia vaccine (65 years and older) or the flu vaccine injection (50 years and older), ask your physician about getting these before you are discharged from the hospital.

YOU MAY NOT NEED THE PNEUMONIA VACCINE IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED IT IN THE PAST, BUT YOUR DOCTOR CAN HELP YOU DETERMINE IF IT IS INDICATED. THE FLU SHOT SHOULD BE RECEIVED EACH YEAR DURING THE FLU SEASON.

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Visiting Hours

Allegheny Campus
General Medical/Surgical 11C, 10C, 9A, 6A, 6C, 5A, 5C 9C	1 to 8:30 p.m. 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Labor and Delivery 12A	Visitors are required to obtain an ID badge on the first floor to gain entry. Siblings must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. Limited (two visitors at a time)
Maternity 12C	Visitors are required to obtain an ID badge on the first floor to gain entry. Father - Unlimited Grandparents and Siblings - 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult) General visiting hours - 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Neuro/Surgical ICU 3rd floor Immediate family only	10:30 to 11 a.m. 1:30 to 2 p.m. 5 to 5:30 p.m. 8 to 8:30 p.m.
Guidelines for NICU visitors: Adhere to posted visiting times to help ensure that the patient gets the rest and care they need. Visit quietly. Do not excite the patient. Have only two immediate family members visit at a time. Do not bring children under age 14 into the unit. Family and friends may send cards and letters while the patient is in the unit, but please reserve flowers, balloons, and other gifts until the patient is transferred to a regular floor room. Inform the nursing staff of the patient’s food preferences, nicknames, and other pertinent information.
Trauma/Surgical Unit 3NWW Immediate family only	10 to 10:30 a.m. 2 to 2:30 p.m. 5 to 5:30 p.m. 8 to 8:30 p.m.
Cardiac Care Stepdown 8A/8C Immediate family only	1 to 8:30 p.m.
Surgical ICU 3rd Floor Cardiothoracic Surgery Immediate family only	10 to 10:30 a.m. 2 to 2:30 p.m. 8 to 8:30 p.m.
Family members are permitted to visit immediately after surgery or admission for five minutes. The nurse or volunteer will call you in to visit from the waiting room at the designated times. Three visitors are permitted at the bedside at one time and immediate family members may alternate throughout the visitation period. Visitation may be adjusted to meet the needs of the patient/family/ nursing staff. The initial post-operative visit may be limited. To avoid interrupting patient care, the family should identify a spokesperson who will primarily obtain updates regarding the patient’s condition and provide the information to all others who are concerned. The spokesperson may call at anytime for updates on the patient’s condition. We recommend that calls be limited during nursing report times which are as follows: 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.; 3 to 3:30 p.m.; 7 to 7:30 p.m.; 11 to 11:30 p.m.
Coronary Care Unit Fifth Floor Immediate family only	8:15 to 8:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 2 to 2:30 p.m. 5 to 6 p.m. 8 to 8:30 p.m.
Medical ICU Fourth Floor Immediate family only	8:15 to 8:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 2 to 2:30 p.m. 5 to 6 p.m. 8 to 8:30 p.m.
Suburban Campus
General Inpatient Units MSU, PCU, Rehab	11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Intensive Care Unit	11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 4 to 6:30 p.m. 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
After 8:30 p.m., ID badges must be obtained in the Security Office on the second floor.

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Volunteers

Volunteers have been an integral part of Allegheny General Hospital and the Suburban Campus since the facilities first opened their doors. Today, volunteers serve in many areas of the hospital and provide special personal services for patients and their families, such as delivering mail, escorting patients, visiting with patients, manning the information desk and supporting families in waiting areas. Volunteers at the Allegheny Campus can be identified by their royal blue jackets and jerseys, while members of the Suburban Campus Auxiliary can be identified by their red coats. Throughout the year, high school and college students serve as junior and student volunteers. If you or family members are interested in becoming a volunteer, call the Volunteer Office at 412-359-3067 or 412-734-6006.

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Waiting Room Guidelines

Families waiting for patients in surgery

• The surgeon will come to the Waiting Room to speak with the family after the surgery. Please remain in the Waiting Room until the physician arrives.
• Cardiac patients will be transported directly to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) and not to the Recovery Room. The family will be able to visit the patient in about one to one-and-a-half hours. The nurse will come to or call the Waiting Room for the family. Cardiac surgeries generally last between four to six hours, but it may take longer.
• Families waiting for outpatients should return to the 11th floor Snyder Pavilion to wait after meeting with the physician.

Families visiting patients in the Intensive Care Units

• SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit): Call back to extension 3427 to make sure the patient is ready for visit.
• NICU (Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit): Call back to extension 3910 to make sure the patient is ready for visit.
• Please remember to wash your hands before going to the bedside.

General guidelines

• Cell phones may be used in the Waiting Room, however they must be turned off while visiting patients inside the Intensive Care Unit.
• When you leave the waiting area, please use the sign-out board on the side wall. Please write the patient’s last name and your destination (example: Jones – Cafeteria, Brown – Gift Shop).
• Please return trays, silverware and dishes to the cafeteria on the second floor.
• Please dispose of beverage bottles/cans, etc. in containers provided in the Waiting Room.
• Please have family members and friends call you at the phone located in the back of the Waiting Room (412-359-6680). Please do not tie up the desk phone with incoming personal calls.

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