Preparing for your visit

Preregistration

Online pre-registration may be used for guests who are scheduled for outpatient tests (lab work, X-rays, etc.) as well as for those being admitted to the hospital for an overnight stay. 

Upon your arrival, you will park in the lot on the south side of the hospital and check in at the information desk near the main entrance. You will then be directed to the admitting office, where you will sign papers giving permission for treatment and release of information. 

It is important that you bring your insurance cards with you. You will also be asked to pay a deposit to cover any deductibles, co-insurance and non-covered charges. The balance of these expenses must be paid at the time of discharge. (If needed, call 985-871-5656 to speak with a financial counselor.) 

Before pre-registering, please take a moment to review our policy on Patient Rights and Responsibilities, which will also be provided to you by an admissions clerk during registration. 

Checking in

When you come to the hospital to register for your stay, you will proceed to our Admitting Department, located in the main lobby. If you have questions before you leave home, feel free to call an Admitting representative at 985-898-4401. 

When you arrive, please bring your identification, your insurance information and any other documents you think might be helpful to our medical team, such as an Advance Directive if you have one (more about Advance Directives below), your prescription medications, glasses and hearing devices. If you will need an interpretation service, please let us know so we may assist you.

Personal belongings

It is helpful to have a few personal items to help make you comfortable while at the hospital. Feel free to bring pajamas, a robe, slippers and other comfort items. If you bring any personal items to your hospital room, we ask that you identify these items so the staff is aware in case you must be transferred to another room or when your room is cleaned and linens changed.

We encourage you to leave any valuables – jewelry, money, credit cards, wallets, purses, etc. – at home. If you must bring these items, we can store them in our safe, however, it is always best to leave your valuables in the safety of your home or in the care of a family member. The hospital does not allow cell phones in patient rooms, as they interfere with telemetry and life support equipment. If you wish to bring a small clock, radio or any device that plugs into the wall, we ask that you present it to your nurse so our Engineering Department may clear it for use in the hospital.

Glasses, hearing aids, dentures

Just like at home, small or inconspicuous items such as eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures may be lost if not stored in a safe place when you are not using them. Please take care when you remove these items not to place them on food trays or on the bed, where they can be easily lost when trays are removed or linens are changed. Your nurse can provide you with a small box for keeping such items close to your bedside and out of harm’s way.

Medications

When you come to the hospital, please bring with you any prescription medications you are taking on a regular basis. The nursing staff can help you with this and work with our Pharmacy to ensure that you continue these as necessary. It is equally important that the Pharmacy is aware of your current medications to ensure that any newly prescribed drugs do not interact negatively with your medications.

Advance Directives

It is important to know that you may accept or refuse medical treatment, or change your mind about treatment, at any time. This right exists so that you may be an active participant in your care. At the time of registration, our staff will ask you for information about any decisions you have made regarding your right to ask for or refuse care under certain circumstances. This is referred to as an Advance Directive.

An Advance Directive is a document that informs your healthcare provider about the care you wish to receive — or not receive — and designates who will make care decisions should you ever become unable to communicate your wishes.

If you have an Advance Directive, you can still make your own decisions. You and your doctor together decide about your care. An Advance Directive goes into effect if you are unable to communicate or make your wishes known, or when you appoint someone to make those decisions. It may be changed or canceled by you at any time. It is very important to talk to your doctor and your family while you are well about following your advance directive.

Ask your doctor

Before you come to the hospital, we encourage you to talk to your doctor about what to expect during your hospital stay. You should take an active role in your care, and your doctor can help by telling you more about the types of tests he or she may order, when he or she makes rounds to patient rooms, what types of medical specialists might be involved in your care, and how long he or she expects you to be admitted to the hospital. We encourage you to bring a small pad of paper and a pen to write down questions for your doctor throughout your stay.