Your Hospital Stay
The physician who admitted you is a member of the Griffin Hospital medical staff. He or she is responsible for directing your diagnosis and treatment while you are here. In conjunction with you and your family members and hospital staff, your physician will outline your treatment plan, diet, medications and any special care you will need.
Your Primary Nurse. The nurses at Griffin Hospital believe it is their responsibility to provide you with a caring and supportive environment. During your stay, you will have a primary nurse who will coordinate your care, provide support, be an advocate for you and educate you about your health.
House Staff. Griffin Hospital prides itself on our commitment to medical education. We have a medical residency program in internal medicine and surgery. This means residents, interns, and medical students may participate in your care under the supervision of your physician. If you elect not to have them participate in your care, please let your nurse and physician know.
Social Services Staff. Social services are available for all patients and their families. Our social workers can assist you by providing referrals to appropriate community agencies, support groups, or when applying for Medicaid, disability or other entitlements. To obtain assistance, please call extension 7230.
Patient Representative Services. Everyone at Griffin Hospital is committed to providing you with the best possible care during your stay here. To help us in this effort, a Patient Representative may visit you to assess your stay and ensure your needs are being met. If you have comments or suggestions or experience any difficulties, pleases feel free to discuss them with the Patient Representative or call our Patient Relations Hotline at extension 7121. And, of course, your nurse is always available to discuss any concerns or needs you may have.
Continuing Care. With the strong emphasis by most insurers on managed care, it is very important to know what your insurance company will or will not cover regarding your hospital stay. Your doctor has a Griffin Continuing Care Coordinator assigned to him or her who will assist you with questions regarding insurance benefits, developing a safe and appropriate discharge plan and negotiating with your insurer for benefit coverage after discharge.
Our Volunteers. We have a dedicated corps of volunteers who come into the hospital daily to staff services such as soft touch, handholding, therapy dog visitation, room service and the baking program, to name a few. These valuable adjuncts to our staff assist in a variety of other ways in both patient and non-patient areas.
Your Visitors. Rest is an important part of your treatment so a limited number of visitors may be a valuable part of your recovery. We consider the visitor an honored guest, second only to you, our patient. While we have a liberal visiting policy, based on the preference and condition of our patients, we do request that all visitors be particularly conscious of the welfare of others as it relates to their conduct while in the hospital. Patient visiting is allowed at any time unless there are medical reasons preventing it. While in the hospital, we ask that you speak quietly and avoid unnecessary noise. Those with a cold, sore throat or other communicable illness should delay visiting until they are well. Smoking while on hospital property is prohibited.
Cafeteria. The cafeteria is located on the Ground Floor where visitors can purchase nutritious meals at reasonable prices. The serving line is open to the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day:
Breakfast is served from 6:45 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and dinner from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Snacks and beverages are available throughout the day.
Guest trays are available for visitors who wish to dine with a patients in their rooms. A meal must be purchased from the cafeteria cashier by 11 a.m. that day for lunch and by 4 p.m. for dinner. The dietary staff will inform you of the cost. Visitor meals will be delivered along with the patient trays. The dietary department can be reached by dialing extension 7888.
Vending machines are located on the Ground Floor, down the hall from the Patient Registration Lobby. The area is open around the clock. A microwave is also available in the vending area for use. Coffee and soda are also available in our Emergency Department 24 hours a day.
Valuables. Please give these items to someone to take home for you or ask your nurse to put them in the hospital safe for pickup when you are discharged from the hospital. Dentures, eyeglasses and contact lenses should be placed in protective cases. If you should lose something, report the loss to the staff as soon as possible and they will attempt to help you recover the item.
Standard Precautions. To ensure high standards of health care, the hospital follows "Universal Precautions" to protect patients, visitors and staff against the spread of infections and communicable disease. These procedures require health care workers to use gloves – and in some instances gowns, masks and goggles – when exposed to blood or body fluids. If you have questions about these procedures, please speak with your nurse.
Smoking. Consistent with our commitment to the prevention and treatment of diseases, smoking in any area of the hospital, at main entrances to the hospital or in any other GHSC buildings and facilities is prohibited.
Living Will. As a patient, you have the legal right to prepare instructions to guide your physician and health care providers should you become incapacitated to the point where you can no longer actively take part in decisions affecting your life or should you become unable to direct your physician as to your medical care. If you have a Living Will or other Advance Directive, it should be made known to the hospital staff at the time of your admission and placed in your medical record.
Organ Donations. You will be asked by a member of the hospital staff if you are an organ donor. Donations serve a useful purpose by enhancing the life of the beneficiary and assisting in medical research. If you have questions about becoming an organ donor, contact the New England Organ Donation Bank at (203) 785-4237.
Deaf or Hearing Impaired. Sign language and oral interpreters, TTYs and other auxiliary hearing aids and services are available free of charge to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. For assistance, please contact your nurse or any member of the nursing staff.
Your Room. When you arrive in your room, your nurse will explain the call bell, TV and other systems designed for your comfort and safety.
Your Bed. Your hospital bed is electrically controlled for your convenience and comfort. By using the bed control, you can raise and lower the head and foot with ease. Hospital beds are at a much higher level from the floor than you may be accustomed to at home so be careful. It is advisable to lower the bed to its lowest position before getting out of bed. Side rails are provided for your protection. Please do not attempt to get out of bed while the side rails are raised. Use the call bell to ask the staff for assistance.
Mail and Flowers. Any mail and flowers addressed to you will be delivered to your room. Mail received after you are discharged will be forwarded to your home address. Outgoing mail can be given to a nurse or volunteer.
Nurse Call System. Your nurse will explain how the call system works when you are admitted to your room. When you need assistance, press the button on the signal cord clipped to your bed. Your call will be answered by a nursing staff member via the intercom system or by a nursing staff member responding into you room. If your call is answered verbally, you will be heard clearly by speaking in a normal tone of voice from any area of your room. Testing and other procedures or medications may make you tired or faint and we ask that you don’t hesitate to call for assistance whenever you feel it necessary.
Pain Control. People used to think that severe pain was something they just had to put up with. But with current treatments that is no longer true. Today you can work with doctors or nurses to help prevent or relieve pain. When pain is controlled, people heal faster, get their strength back faster and feel better sooner. Those whose pain is well controlled seem to do better and avoid such problems as pneumonia or blood clots that can affect others. Both medication and non-medication treatments can be successful in helping to prevent and control pain. Talk with your nurses and doctors about pain control methods and any concerns you may have about pain and pain medications.
Environmental Services. A member of the Environmental Services staff will attend to your room daily and keep it clean and comfortable. If you have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to call Environmental Services at extension 7495.
Your Diet. Your diet is an important part of your therapy while in the hospital. Your menu is planned to provide nutritious, well-balanced meals while adhering to your physician’s instructions. Please feel free to request items to suit your personal preferences (within dietary restrictions) or ask for assistance from the nutrition staff. If you need assistance reading your menu, someone from the dietary staff can assist you. If your menu is not completed, the nutrition staff will select for you in accordance with your physician’s diet order.
If you need assistance during meal times, a family member or friend is welcome to assist you with your meal. Family members may bring meals from home for their own use or may purchase a guest tray through the hospital cafeteria.
If you have special dietary needs, a member of the nutrition staff will visit you within 24 hours of your admission to discuss your meals and develop a nutrition care plan specifically for you. This will include any nutritional concerns while you are here as well as when you go home. If you need to follow a special diet, the dietitian will discuss diet restrictions for you in detail.
We are eager to serve you and make your mealtimes as pleasant and enjoyable as possible. To call the Food and Nutrition Department, dial 7888 on your phone. A member of the staff will be pleased to help you.
Residential Kitchens. Residential kitchens are available on all patient care units where family members may prepare meals and dine with you. The residential kitchens also are used for cooking demonstrations and nutrition education by the dietary professionals. The kitchen is stocked with beverages and snacks for you and your visitors. Fresh coffee, prepared by our volunteers, is also available.
Your doctor will determine when you are well enough to go home. In preparing to leave, we suggest you arrange for a family member or friend to pick you up. If you are unable to leave by your designated discharge time, please let us know so arrangements can be made to accommodate you until someone arrives. Your room needs to be thoroughly cleaned before another patient can be admitted. Therefore, it is imperative that every effort be made to leave at the designated discharge time. While unavoidable delays are considered, failure to comply could result in an additional day’s room charge.
Discharge Planning. Within 48 hours of admission, a patient care conference will be scheduled with you, your doctor and your Primary Care Nurse to discuss what to expect during your hospital stay. To help you plan for your needs once you are discharged from the hospital, your projected date of discharge will be discussed at this time. Our continuing care coordinators will assist you in planning for your discharge by determining the level of care you will need. Coordinators can tap community resources and assist with transfers to an extended care facility or rehabilitation facility as needed. They can asess continuing care needs like home nursing and home therapy service, arrange for assistance with chores, meals, etc. as well as companion services and financial and insurance resources. The continuing care coordinator will meet with you and your family privately and confidentially. To obtain assistance, call extension 7376.
Hospital Bill. Your hospital bill includes your daily room rate, which covers general nursing care, dietary services, housekeeping, laundry, maintenance, medical records and use of standard hospital equipment. Additional services ordered by your physician such as operating and recovery room usage, medications and supplies, laboratory, x-ray and therapeutic services will be listed separately on your hospital bill. Your bill does not include your attending physician’s fees.
Specialty Services. In addition to your personal doctor, you may also receive bills from consultants such as radiologists, cardiologists, pathologists and anesthesiologists whose services were requested by your doctor. Each physician bills you separately. You are encouraged to review your bill and if you have any questions, contact the Business Office at extension 7360 or from home at (203) 732-7360.
Financial Arrangements. We maintain a professional staff of specialists to help you resolve financial problems regarding your bill. A representative will be assigned to you who will help obtain billing instructions, assist you in completing forms and advise you of your financial responsibility. If you have questions or need assistance or need to consult our financial counselors, please call extension 7360.