Your Physician
Your primary care physician may ask a hospital-based physician to manage your care while you are in the hospital. These physicians are called Hospitalists and are qualified, licensed physicians based full-time in the hospital. The Hospitalist will manage your inpatient stay from admission through discharge, overseeing and coordinating your care, answering any questions your or your family may have and, through Medical Records, keeping your primary care physician informed of your progress and any test results.
Your primary care physician will take care of you after you are discharged; it is recommended that you make an appointment with him/her for a follow-up visit as instructed.
Calling Your Nurse
To call your nurse when you need assistance, press the call button located at your bedside. This turns on a light at the nurses’ station. A staff member will respond to your signal as soon as possible.
Personal Items
You may want to consider bringing a few personal items with you to make your hospital stay more comfortable: toothbrush/toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner, shaving products, lotion, slippers, and pajamas (hospital gowns are provided). Many of these items are available in the hospital’s Auxiliary gift shop.
Patient Valuables
All jewelry, money (other than small change) and any other items of value should be left at home or sent home. The hospital does maintain a safe for the safekeeping of money and valuables if no other arrangements can be made. The hospital will not be responsible for the loss or damage to any personal property retained in your possession during your hospital stay, including money, jewelry, glasses, hearing aids, dentures, and clothing. You are responsible for your belongings during your hospital stay.
When not in use, eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids and contact lenses should be placed in labeled protective containers. Please ask a member of the nursing staff for a protective container if you do not have one. Be careful not to place personal items on food trays or wrap them in tissue because they easily could be thrown away.
Nutritional Services
Patients will receive three balanced meals per day and between-meal snacks on their prescribed diet. Based on your medical needs, your physician will order a diet that is right for you. Breakfast is pre-selected, depending on the limits of diet, but you will receive an appropriate menu for your lunch and dinner selections. Substitutions or corrections may be made to your menu according to your special diet restrictions.
C.A.R.E. TV Channel
The musical compositions and visual images on the C.A.R.E. TV Channel are specially chosen for their aesthetic and stress-reducing qualities. We encourage patients and visitors to tune in to Channel 8for this relaxing, soothing instrumental music and calming images of nature.
Mail and Flowers
Mail and flowers addressed to a patient will be delivered to the patient’s room. Flowers and plants are not allowed in the ICU. These patients may receive flowers when they are transferred to a general nursing unit. Mail received after discharge will be forwarded to the patient’s home.
Telephone Dialing Instructions
A telephone is provided in your room. To place a local call, dial “9” to access an outside line, then dial the number as you would at home. Local calls may be placed at no charge.
To help ensure that you rest, your incoming calls will be referred to the nursing station between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Switchboard
No incoming calls will be put through to your room before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. The switchboard operator gives patient room number information through our information desk during business hours and after hours.
Long Distance
Long distance calls must be charged to a calling card, or an automated-collect long distance service from your room. Calls cannot be billed to your hospital account. You may obtain access to the long distance carrier of your choice. To reach your carrier, access an outside line by dialing “9” and follow the dialing instructions furnished by your carrier. Or dial “0” for the hospital operator and request your long distance carrier of choice. Phone cards are available for purchase in the hospital’s Auxiliary gift shop.
Wireless Internet Service
St. Joseph’s Hospital is pleased to offer free wireless service to our patients, guests, and physicians. You will need a wireless card in your laptop to connect to the Internet. For your convenience, connectivity is available throughout the hospital, including patient rooms and visitor waiting areas. Information on how to access the wireless Internet connection is available throughout the hospital and on the Carondelet Health Network website services page.
Please Note: Since this is a free service, Carondelet does not provide technical support for your device or connectivity. No Carondelet-owned devices, including printers, may be used.
Discharge
The Case Management Department will assist you and your family in discharge planning. There are case managers and social workers assigned to each nursing unit and the Emergency Center. They will provide you and your family with choices regarding coordination of community resources, such as short-term placement for continued care, home care, medical equipment, and long-term care (including alternative living arrangements). You should feel free to ask anyone to contact a member of the Case Management Department if you have any questions or concerns. Emotional support and guidance in medical decision making are available, as well as an explanation of code status, Living Wills, and Medical Powers of Attorney.
When it is time for you to go home, your physician will write a discharge order. A member of the nursing staff will explain your home care instructions to you. We also will provide written instruction on discharge to assure that you have a complete understanding of your home care needs.
Please tentatively make arrangements for transportation home at 10:00 a.m. pending your physician’s approval of your discharge. This is important to prepare your room for incoming patients.
Patient Billing
Carondelet Health Network recognizes the complexity of hospital billing processes and payment methods. We have Financial Counselors available to answer questions about hospital bills and what health insurance or other funding sources may be available to cover the costs. Carondelet’s Financial Counselors will answer any questions patients may have and explain billing, charity care, financial assistance and discount policies. If there are any questions about the hospital bill, please contact a Patient Financial Counselor at (520) 873-3855 or 873-5920, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Physician Fees
Your hospital bill does not include fees charged by your physician, as they are not employed by the hospital. Professional fees for emergency room physicians, anesthesiology, radiology, pathology, surgical assistance and other consulting physician specialists will be billed separate from your hospital bill. All physician billing questions should be directed to their offices.
Medical Records
We are happy to assist you in obtaining copies of your medical records. To obtain your records, you or a representative must complete and sign an “Authorization for Disclosure of Protected Health Information” form. Visit or call the Health Information Management (HIM) Department to request the form, or download it from our website: www.carondelet.org/information.
The completed and signed form can be submitted in person, faxed, or mailed to the HIM Department.
Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital
HIM Department
350 N. Wilmot Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85711
Phone: 520-Tel: 520-873-5143
Fax: 520-873-6513
If you would like to have medical records sent to your physician for follow-up care, indicate the physician’s name and contact information on the form. If your physician needs copies right away, ask his or her office to call our HIM Department to request copies.
If you want copies for your personal use, please indicate on the form the name and address of the person to receive the copies. There is no charge for reports that are available electronically. There may be a charge for photocopying a large of amount of records. If this is the case, you will be contacted with an estimated cost for completing your request.
You or your representative can fax or mail a letter requesting your records to the HIM Department instead of completing a release form. The letter must state the patient’s name and birth date, when the care was received, what records are requested, the purpose for requesting the records, permission to release any information, including (if any) about drug/alcohol/behavioral health/HIV, and where the records should be sent. If the requestor is not the patient, the letter must state the relationship to the patient, such as “patient’s parent.” Include a power of attorney if you are not the patient and/or the patient’s not a minor. The letter must be signed and dated.