Patient Guide

• Your Experience at Saint Peter's
• Your Admission
• Advance Directive
• Visiting At Saint Peter's
• Your Stay
• General Services
• For Your Safety
• Your Rights and Responsibilities
• Billing and Payment
• Your Discharge

Your Experience at Saint Peter's

At Saint Peter’s University Hospital, our goal is to provide you with the highest quality health care in a safe and comfortable place. We call it our “journey to excellence.”

We understand that a hospital stay may be an emotional experience. Each member of our staff—regardless of position—is personally committed to making your stay the most positive experience possible, for you and your family.

At the same time, if you have any concerns or a problem, please speak with your nurse or nurse manager immediately. No issue is too small for our prompt attention.

Soon after you return home, you may receive a Saint Peter’s patient satisfaction survey from Press Ganey, an independent satisfaction measurement company. Please take the time to complete and return the survey.

Please let us know when we have met or exceeded your expectations. Our staff receives recognition for giving “very good” service to our patients and their families.

Your comments also help us focus on areas for improvement. We listen to what you tell us and truly appreciate your feedback.

We're Here for You

During your stay, our Saint Peter’s nurses are always here for you. Even if you don’t call on them, they will make regularly scheduled visits to check on you.
Our nurses will:

• Evaluate and relieve any pain you may be experiencing.
• Offer you help with getting to and use of the bathroom.
• Move you to a more comfortable position, if needed.
• Provide any needed and/or scheduled medications.
• Make sure your call light, phone, and any other needs are within easy reach.
• Ask if there is anything else you need, or if you have any questions.
• Remind you of the next visit and the scheduled time.

Your Admission

We will make your admission to Saint Peter's as easy as possible. Your admission will take place in Patient Access Services, also known as our Admitting Office.

You will be responsible for:

• Completing and signing consent forms; these consent forms will become part of your medical record
• Supplying two forms of legal identification. Accepted forms include your driver's license, birth certificate, passport and/or green card.
• Advising us of any special food requirements and/or food allergies.
• Informing us about your advance directive, if applicable.
• Providing us with your health insurance card(s).
  
  If your health insurance company requires pre-certification, you are responsible to obtain this requirement before admission.
  
  Any patient having elective surgery at Saint Peter's will be contacted several days prior to his/her scheduled arrival for a pre-registration/ pre-certification review and discussion regarding financial arrangements. The patient's surgeon's office is responsible for initiating the pre-certification process.
  
  Please see Health Insurance for additional information.

To contact the office, please dial extension 8540.

What to Bring

You need only bring a few items for your stay. Please bring your toothbrush, toothpaste, slippers, robe and personal toilet articles such as shampoo, deodorant, cosmetics, and a comb/brush. We will supply hospital gowns for your use during your stay.

Do not bring valuables to the hospital.

This includes money, jewelry, credit cards, electronics and items of sentimental value. Saint Peter's is not responsible for securing and/or replacing any personal items or valuables during your stay, even though we will exercise care in protecting them. We also request that you leave your medicines at home; if you bring them to the hospital, please send them home with a family member.

Advance Directive

You have the right to make decisions about your own medical treatment. These decisions become more difficult if, due to illness or a change in mental condition, you are unable to tell your physician and loved ones what kind of healthcare treatments you want. An advance directive allows you to make your wishes known in advance.

An advance directive may be a living will, healthcare proxy or durable power of attorney-a legal document that allows you to give direction to medical personnel, family and friends concerning your future care when you cannot speak for yourself. You do not need a lawyer in order to complete an advance directive.

Saint Peter's University Hospital will honor advance directives in accordance with hospital policy, New Jersey law, the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, and acceptable medical standards. Saint Peter's does not participate in assisted suicide or euthanasia.

The existence or lack of an advance directive does not determine a patient's access to care, treatment or services. In an emergency situation, physicians and personnel may not be able to take the needed time to review a patient's advance directive without endangering his/her life. In these cases, actions will be taken to treat the patient regardless of the advance directive.

For additional information and help in creating an advance directive, please contact Pastoral Care at extension 8565.

Visiting at Saint Peter’s

Visitor Sign-In

Saint Peter's requires that all visitors 18 years of age and older present a government issued form of picture identification and sign the visitor registration log upon entering the hospital.

Visitor Guidelines

• Only two visitors per patient. One visitor will be allowed to stay in the room with the patient overnight. Children under the age of 16 are not permitted to visit patients in the Medical-Surgical/Critical Care units unless accompanied by an adult unless otherwise approved by the nurse manager. Children under the age of 16 visiting patients in the Children’s Hospital and/or Mother/Baby areas must be accompanied by an adult.
• If a visitor requests to stay overnight with a patient who is in a semi-private room, the nurse manager will ask for consent from the patient’s roommate.
• Visiting hours may be suspended for critical situations in the Emergency Department or the intensive care units.
• Healthcare providers may limit or expand the number of visitors for individual patients as deemed medically necessary.

General Guidelines

Emergency Department (Ground Floor, E-Wing)

• One visitor per cubicle for adults; both parents/guardians are permitted for pediatric patients.

Labor & Delivery – Pre-delivery (Fourth Floor, H-Wing)

• One birthing partner and two labor coaches per patient.
• In the event of an emergency, all visitors will be asked to wait in the H-Wing, ground floor lobby until the conclusion of the emergency.
• No children under the age of 16 will be allowed in the labor room pre-delivery.

Labor & Delivery Operating Room – Pre-delivery and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

• When regional anesthesia is used, one birthing partner will be permitted.

Labor & Delivery – Post-delivery (Fourth Floor, H-Wing)

• Grandparents and siblings of the infant are permitted within the first hour post delivery.
• Siblings under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Mother/Baby Unit(Third Floor, A/B/D-Wings, Fourth Floor, D/E-Wings)

• Siblings under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) (Second Floor, A-Wing)

• Two visitors per patient at one time.
• Visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) (Third Floor, H-Wing)

• Parents of the baby are permitted at any time.
• No more than three people will be allowed per family (examples: two parents with one visitor or one parent with two visitors).
• Siblings will be allowed to visit at the bedside with a parent for 10 to 15 minutes only and must remain with the adult at the bedside throughout the visit.
• Siblings will complete a Sibling Visit Health Questionnaire and the child is found to be healthy and free to any communicable diseases before a sibling visitation occurs.
• All visitors with a respiratory tract infection, rash or infected lesion of hand and/or face will not be allowed to visit the NICU. All visitors with a communicable disease may not visit the NICU until the infection is no longer communicable.
• Febrile mothers without a specific identified site of infection may visit in the NICU pending approval of their obstetrician and the neonatologist.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) (Second Floor, A-Wing)

• Two visitors per patient, at any one time, are permitted, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Intensive Care Unit (Fifth Floor, G-Wing)

• Two visitors per patient, at one time.

Your Stay

At Saint Peter's University Hospital, we offer services to make your stay a comfortable and convenient one-for you and for your family. We also request that you follow our policies and practices to help ensure your safety and comfort.

Patient Services

Care Coordination
Together with your physician and nurse, our Care Coordination staff will work with you to prepare for your care after your hospital stay. We recognize that most patients expect to return home after hospitalization, but there are times when care in another setting may be needed.

Our social workers can help if you are not sure that you or a family member will be able to manage safely at home. We will work with you and your health insurance provider to review your care needs, and to start planning for both a discharge to home and a transfer to another facility.

To ensure that you have all the needed information for decisions about alternate facilities, we will provide you with a list of participating providers and tell you more about the facilities that can meet your specific medical needs. This includes short- or long-term care in a variety of facilities, including rehabilitation, sub-acute care, residential health care, long-term acute care hospital (LTACH), nursing home, hospice care and assisted living. We can also provide you with information about visiting nurses, home equipment, and home infusion therapy.

You or your representative are responsible for informing us of your preferences for providers; we will educate you about the providers/facilities that have available services that match your needs. We will also assist you in identifying and arranging for services that are reimbursable by your health insurance company or payer. However, please understand that not all services are covered or paid for by health insurance companies.

A stay in the hospital can be a stressful experience. Also, personal and financial problems may add to your concerns. Our social workers are available to help you and give you resource information. Support groups facilitated by the Care Coordination staff include groups for parents of infants in the intensive care nursery, pregnant patients, and a bereavement support group for those who have experienced infant loss.

For more information or to speak with a member of the Care Coordination staff, please dial extension 8522.

Food and Nutrition Services
Our nutritionists and nutrition care technicians, along with the entire Food and Nutrition Services staff, work together to provide you with the highest quality dining service during your stay.

A representative from Food and Nutrition Services will visit you each day to obtain your menu selections. Most patients will be placed on our "patient controlled" diet program. This program allows you to choose foods similar to what you eat at home without changing your menu. A representative from Food and Nutrition Services will explain the program to you, let you know the diet your doctor ordered for you, and how best to select the foods from the menu to fit into your diet. If you have any special food requirements-vegetarian, kosher, or halal or have any food allergies, please advise your nurse during admission. To reach Food and Nutrition Services, please dial extension 7884.

After your discharge, if you have any questions regarding your diet, please contact the nutritionisVnutrition care technician. His/her contact information will be listed on your diet information booklet provided at the time of discharge.

If you find you need to return to Saint Peter's for additional instructions, please contact Outpatient Nutrition Services at 732-745-8600, extension 7930.

Meal Service
For your safety as well as for sanitary purposes, the nutrition aides who serve you handle only food trays during the meal service. The nursing personnel will adjust your tray or your bed and ensure you are ready and comfortable for your meal. Our nutrition aide will visit you for any additional assistance with your food selections.

Be sure to check with your nurse before eating any food items brought by a family member or visitor. To connect with the Meal Service staff, please dial extension 7844.
HOURS

• Breakfast: 7:30am - 10:30am
• Lunch: 11:30am - 3:00pm
• Dinner: 4:30pm - 6:30pm

Cafe Luna
Extension 7954

Open Daily
7:30pm - 2:00am Located on the first floor of the hospital next to the employee cafeteria, Café Luna provides visitors with evening and late-night snacks as well as hot and cold beverages. Hot entrees are served between the hours of Midnight and 2:00 a.m.

Snack Areas
For your convenience, each patient unit is equipped with a pantry or snack area for your use. Most snack areas are stocked with beverages, crackers, condiments and utensils. Please feel free to make use of any pantry with our compliments.

Diabetes Nutrition Class
Saint Peter’s offers a group based class on nutrition and diabetes. During your stay, you and your family members and guests are encouraged to attend this class. Ask your nutritionist or nurse about the class and its schedule.

If you are on a modified diet, your nutritionist will provide you with information about your diet during your stay.

For more information, please dial extension 8428.

Pastoral Care
The chaplains of the Pastoral Care Department are professionals, educated and certified to offer spiritual and emotional support to people of all faiths.

Our pastoral care professionals will:

• Visit you on admission and be available to you and your family during your stay.
• Contact your minister, priest, rabbi, imam or spiritual leader, if requested.
• Offer prayer, sacraments, and other spiritual support.
• Distribute the Eucharist daily, if requested.
• Provide support with making difficult decisions, if needed.
• Assist with completion of your advance directive.
• Celebrate Mass at Noon daily.

If you would like to speak to a Pastoral Care Department professional, dial extension 8565 You may also call the operator to have a pastoral care associate paged.

The Saint Peter's Chapel is located on the third floor of the main hospital and is always open for quiet prayer or reflection. Chapel services and inspirational programs can be viewed in the patient's room, free-of-charge on Channel 6.

Private Duty Nurses
Patients and families have the right to choose to use private duty nursing professionals or paraprofessionals (RN, LPN or Nursing Assistant) per hospital policy. The Saint Peter’s Nursing Office at extension 8553 will provide you with a list of resources.

Arrangements for services, including all billing and payment are the responsibility of the patient or family and the individual providing the service. Saint Peter’s does not influence or handle rates, schedules or billing. The agency selected must call the Nursing Office to provide information about who will be coming and when.

General Services

ATM

A Bank of America ATM is located on the ground floor in the main hospital lobby, near the gift shop and public restrooms. Another ATM can be found at the Bank of America, across from the hospital on Easton Avenue.

eCard Service

Remind a patient in Saint Peter’s that you care by sending an eCard. This free, online service lets you send a message to wish a speedy recovery, a happy birthday or congratulations for a new baby.

1. Visit Send a Card
2. Please browse through our selections and pick a card.
3. Then enter your personal information and submit your request.

Your eCard will be delivered within 24 business hours.

Mail

Mail will be delivered daily to your room. Any mail coming to Saint Peter’s after your discharge will be forwarded to your home address. For questions about mail, dial extension 8330.

Parking

The hospital offers parking at three locations for a one-time fee of $4 per day. When payment is made, a visitor is given a receipt that can be used to re-enter any parking area, free-of-charge, throughout the day. There is no additional charge for valet parking, and it is available in all parking locations.

• Main hospital parking deck
  Located behind the main hospital on Park Boulevard off Easton Avenue, the main hospital parking deck offers parking on five, color-coded levels. The hospital’s main entrance is located on the yellow level. An elevator is available.
• CARES parking deck
  Located at 240 Easton Avenue (across from the hospital’s Women and Children’s Pavilion), the CARES (Center for Ambulatory Resources) parking deck offers parking on two levels. An elevator is available.
• Parking surface lot
  Located across from the main hospital parking deck on Park Boulevard off Easton Avenue, the parking surface lot offers additional parking.

Public Transportation

Bus services are available between downtown New Brunswick and Saint Peter’s University Hospital, with a New Jersey Transit bus stop at the hospital. For details, contact New Jersey Transit Information at 973-275-5555 or Suburban Transit/Coach USA at 732-249-1100.

If you need cab services, four options include:

• All Brunswick Taxi at 732-545-0900
• Franklin Taxi & Limo at 732 545 6060
• Metro Taxi at 732 246 7400
• Yellow Cab at 732 246 2222

Train service is available with a station located at French and Albany Streets, between Easton Avenue and George Street. For details, contact New Jersey Transit at 973-275-5555.

Restaurant 2FIFTY4 and The Gift Shop On Park

Restaurant 2FIFTY4 serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, including appetizers, sandwiches, snacks, drinks and freshly-baked desserts in a newly renovated dining area. A reminder: Patients need a written order or a physician’s note on their chart to order from the restaurant. Take-out orders, gift certificates and a private dining room are all available at Restaurant 2FIFTY4. You are also invited to the Fillin’ Station, the café located on the ground floor of the Center for Ambulatory Resources (CARES).

The Gift Shop On Park offers a wide assortment of gifts like baby blankets, booties, bibs, plush animals, and breastfeeding accessories such as breast pumps, shields and hydragel pads. Greeting cards, toys, boxed candy, books and magazines, balloons and flowers are also available for patients and guests of all ages.

Restaurant 2FIFTY4 and The Gift Shop On Park are both located on the ground floor of the main hospital lobby.

Telephone

Telephone services are provided for our patients as a courtesy. We ask that calls placed to patients’ telephones be made only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. to provide a quiet time for our patients.

Using the telephone in your room, dial “0” for the hospital operator to get your direct-dial number.

• To make calls: Dial 9 + (1) + area code + telephone number
• For international calls: Dial 0 for the hospital operator. These calls may be placed as collect calls or charged to your credit card.
• For directory assistance: Dial 9 + 411

To report any technical difficulties, please dial extension 7000 for the Helpdesk.

Television

Television Service
As part of your hospital stay, we offer a great selection of popular channels. A complete TV Channel Guide is included below. Special channels offering religious services or patient education materials are complimentary.

Activating Service
Take advantage of these great amenities and activate television service today. Simply dial extension 7790 from the telephone in your room. To enjoy faster service, have your payment available at the time of your call. See Payment Options for more details.

Follow the easy voice prompts to complete the activation. IMPORTANT: Once you complete your transaction, please turn to the TV channel of your choice. You will need to change the channel from the hospital’s marquee or default channel to a rental channel to view service. Service will begin within a few minutes.

Payment Options
Television service charges can be charged to:
1) Major Credit Card with activation charge.
2) Cash A service representative will visit your room to collect payment. Please have your payment ready.
3) Home Telephone with activation charge.

Rental Terms
Please note that you will be billed on a calendar day basis, not 24 hours. Example: You are admitted on March 5 at 7 p.m.; it counts for your first day. March 6 would be the next day, etc. Service can be stopped or restarted at any time by dialing extension 7790.

Service is automatically transferred when you are moved to another room. Service is automatically stopped when you are discharged from the hospital.

Need Assistance?
If you are having difficulty, we’re here to assist. For help with...
Rentals..........................Dial extension 7790
TV Repairs....................Dial extension 8859 or page 732-390-2402
Billing Questions............Dial extension 7790


Ready to get started?
Dial extension 7790 to begin television service immediately.

TV Channel Guide:

Volunteer Services

Saint Peter’s is proud to have dedicated junior, college and senior volunteers working in many areas within the hospital. Our volunteers give their valuable time to serve the needs of our hospital community—patients, families and staff.

Volunteers help in many ways. They may provide clerical support in offices, assist with maintaining nursing unit supplies, deliver newspapers, provide recreational programs and support services for our patients. Volunteers may serve as “friendly visitors,” visiting patients who have been in the hospital for an extended time.

The “Silver Spoons” volunteers are specially trained to assist patients who require help with eating during mealtimes. Pet therapy volunteers visit patients weekly with their certified dogs. For your enjoyment, volunteers provide free televised Bingo, Pokeno^® and Word Match games every Tuesday from 1:30 p.m.–3:15 p.m. on Channel 3. Game cards and prizes are delivered to winners in their rooms.

Wi-Fi Service

Saint Peter’s offers its patients and families free Wi Fi Internet service. With more than 20 hotspots throughout the hospital, you will find our wireless network easy to access and use.

For Your Safety

Security at Saint Peter’s

Security officers are located throughout the hospital for your safety. Staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Security Operations Center may be reached by dialing extension 6010.

Cell Phone Use

The use of cell phones can lead to electronic patient care equipment not working properly, and this may seriously harm a patient. Help us keep all patients safe by only using a cell phone in the hospital while in the designated areas.

Fire Drills

Fire drills are conducted regularly. In the event of an actual fire, the hospital will follow fire response procedures to ensure the safety of patients, visitors and staff.

In the event of an emergency, dial 112 from any in-hospital phone.

Smoking

Saint Peter’s University Hospital is committed to a smoke-free environment. Smoking is not permitted in the main hospital or in other Saint Peter’s Healthcare System facilities. In the interest of the health of our patients, visitors, employees and volunteers, we appreciate your cooperation in achieving this goal. Smoking is permitted in the designated smoking area located adjacent to the hospital’s main parking deck.

Preventing Falls

For your safety, our nurses will show you around your room and other nearby areas. We want to help you prevent falls.

• We will assist you to the bathroom. Please use the call bell to let us know. Remember to use the handrails in the bathroom, as needed.
• Your bed should be kept in a low position with its brakes locked at all times.
• Change positions in your bed slowly.
• Stand up slowly. Sit with your feet on the floor for a couple of minutes before standing.
• When sitting, begin by lowering yourself slightly and touch the chair or bedside behind you. This assures you are close enough to sit.
• Footwear should be properly fitted, non-skid and used appropriately. Avoid oversized slippers that may get in the way of walking safely.
• Report spills immediately so that we may clean them up.
• Call for assistance if you need to get out of bed during the night.
• Remember to turn the light on if the room is dark.

Your Rights and Responsibilities

Patient Rights

As someone admitted to a hospital licensed by the State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, you shall have the following rights during your stay. A copy of these rights is also posted in patient rooms.

Medical Care

• To receive the care and health services that the hospital is required by law to provide.
• To expect reasonable continuity of care.
• To receive a clear explanation from your doctor of your complete medical condition, recommended treatment, expected results, risks involved, and reasonable medical alternatives. If your doctor believes that some of this information would be harmful to your health, or beyond your ability to understand, the explanation must be given to another person named by you to speak on your behalf.
• To give informed, written consent before the start of particular, non-emergency medical procedures or treatments. Your doctor should explain to you, in words you understand, specific details about the recommended procedures or treatment, any risks involved, time required for recovery, and any other reasonable medical choices.
• To expect and receive proper pain management.
• To be included in trial research only if you give informed, written consent. You have the right to refuse to participate. Human research does not include the mere collection of statistical data.
• To refuse medication and treatment after possible outcomes of this decision have been explained clearly to you, unless the situation is life-threatening or the procedure is required by law.
• To choose to use private duty nursing professionals or paraprofessionals (RN, LPN or Nursing Assistant) in accordance with hospital policy.

Communication and Information

• To be informed of the name and role (licensure) of all healthcare professionals providing you with personal care. All hospital staff and each student intern shall be required to wear an identifying badge that includes the individual’s name and licensure status.
• To receive, as soon as possible, interpretation services if you need them to help you communicate with the hospital’s healthcare staff.
• To be informed of the names and roles of any outside healthcare and educational institutions involved in your treatment. You may refuse to allow their participation.
• To receive, upon request, the hospital’s written policies and procedures regarding life-saving methods, and the use or withdrawal of life support mechanisms.
• To be advised in writing of the hospital’s rules regarding the conduct of patients and visitors.
• To receive a copy of your patient’s rights that include the name and phone number of the hospital staff member who will answer your questions and field your complaint about any possible violation of your rights.

Privacy and Confidentiality

• To have physical privacy during medical treatment and personal hygiene functions, unless you need assistance. This right shall not hinder discussion and/or examination by appropriate healthcare staff.
• To confidential treatment of information about you, the patient. Information in your records will not be released to anyone outside the hospital without your approval, unless it is required by law, or third-party payment (insurance) requires it.

Legal Rights

• To treatment and medical services without discrimination based on race, age, religion, national origin, sex, or source of payment.
• To exercise all your constitutional, civil and legal rights.

Medical Records

• To have prompt access to the information in your medical record, unless your doctor feels that this access is harmful to your health.
• To obtain a copy of your medical record, for a reasonable fee, within 30 days after a written request is received by the hospital.

Cost of Hospital Care

• To receive a copy of the hospital payment rates. If you request an itemized bill, the hospital must provide one, and explain any questions you may have. You have a right to appeal any charges.
• To be informed by the hospital if part or all of your bill will not be covered by insurance. The hospital is required to help you obtain financial assistance and/or private healthcare benefits to which you may be entitled.

Discharge Planning

• To receive information from your attending doctor about any ongoing healthcare needs when you leave the hospital and receive assistance in arranging for needed follow-up care.
• To be given enough time before discharge to arrange for continuing healthcare needs.
• To be informed by the hospital about any appeal process to which you are allowed by law, if you disagree with the hospital’s discharge plans.

Transfers

• To be informed by the hospital of the need to transfer you to another facility before the transfer and of any alternatives to transfer which may exist.
• To receive in advance an explanation from your doctor of the reasons for your transfer and possible alternatives. The transfer shall not happen unless it is determined by your doctor to be medically necessary.

Personal Needs

• To be treated with courtesy, consideration, and respect for your dignity and individuality.
• To have access to storage space in your room for private use. The hospital will also provide a system to safeguard your personal property.

Freedom from Abuse and Restraints

• To freedom from physical and mental abuse. • To freedom from restraints, unless a doctor authorizes them for a limited period of time to protect the safety of you or others.

Questions and Complaints You have the right to present questions or grievances to a designated hospital staff member and to receive a response in a reasonable period of time.

If you have concerns about your care or safety or have a complaint about any possible violation of your rights, please speak with the nurse manager.

Saint Peter’s provides you with the following addresses and telephone numbers of government agencies that handle questions and complaints.

New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
P.O. Box 360
Trenton, NJ 08625-03606
Complaint Hotline: 800 792 9770

The Joint Commission
Office of Quality Monitoring
One Renaissance Blvd.
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
Complaints: 800 994 6610 or complaint@jointcommission.org

For Pain Management

It is part of our mission to help you manage any pain you are feeling, prevent pain whenever we can and help you feel as comfortable as possible.

Pain is managed best by a team of your doctor(s), nurses, therapists, family and you.

It is important to understand that each person experiences and handles pain differently, whether it is chronic pain and/ or acute pain.

We can choose different ways to help us determine and measure your pain along with different methods to relieve it—methods that are most effective for you.

We will do our best as a team to relieve your pain and keep you comfortable.

Ethics Hotline

If you have an ethical question or concern about the care of a patient in the hospital, you may contact the Ethics Hotline by calling 732-745-8600, extension 6799. A member of the Ethics Committee will respond to your call.

Your Right to a Chaperone

You have the right to have a chaperone present during a breast, pelvic, genitalia or rectal examination.

You have the right to decline care if your physician or healthcare provider is not able to provide you with an acceptable chaperone.

If you refuse the chaperone provided to you, your physician or other healthcare provider is not obligated to provide you with further care.

If your physician or healthcare provider wishes to have a chaperone present and you refuse, they are not obligated to provide you with further care.

In these circumstances, your physician or healthcare provider will discuss with you the risks associated with not receiving further care.

Help for Victims and Survivors of Family Violence Saint Peter’s University Hospital supports the right of all persons to live a life without fear or violence in their home. Family violence includes victims of child abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse.

If you have a need of resources or information, you can ask your nurse and/or ask to talk with a social worker.

Resources that you can contact at any time include:

Child Abuse Hotline: 877-NJ ABUSE

Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-572-SAFE

Elder/Disabled Individuals Abuse:
Adult Protective Services
732-745-3635

For More Information

This list of patient rights is a condensed summary of the current New Jersey law and regulations governing the rights of hospital patients. For more complete information, consult New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.

Patient Responsibilities

As a patient at Saint Peter’s University Hospital, we need your participation regarding the following responsibilities:

• Provide correct information about past medical history.
• Cooperate with our hospital staff.
• Ask questions if directions or procedures are not clearly understood.
• Be considerate of other patients.
• Help control noise and the number of visitors.
• Provide information for the processing of your hospital bill and be responsible for any charges not covered by insurance.
• Respect hospital property and that of other patients.
• Comply with the hospital’s “No Smoking” policy.

Wash Up! Speak Up! Clean your hands.

• Use soap and warm water. Rub your hands really well for at least 15 seconds. Rub your palms, fingernails, in between your fingers, and the backs of your hands.
• Even if your hands do not look dirty, clean them with alcohol-based sanitizers. Rub the sanitizer all over your hands, especially under your nails and between your fingers, until your hands are dry.
• Clean your hands before touching or eating food. Clean them after you use the bathroom, take out the trash, change a diaper, visit someone who is ill, or play with a pet.

Make sure your healthcare providers clean their hands and, if necessary, wear gloves.

• Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers come into contact with lots of bacteria and viruses. So before they treat you, ask them if they have cleaned their hands.
• Healthcare providers should wear clean gloves when they perform tasks such as taking throat cultures, taking blood, touching wounds or body fluids, and examining your mouth or private parts. Don’t be afraid to ask them if they should wear gloves.

Requesting Your Medical Records You may request a copy of your medical records.

1. Complete the request form, “Authorization for Disclosure of Protected Health Information.” Click here to download PDF or, you may contact Saint Peter’s Health Information Management (HIM) at 732 745 8600, extension 8511. One of our representatives will help you.
2. Mail or fax the completed form to:
   
   Saint Peter’s University Hospital
   c/o HIM
   254 Easton Avenue
   New Brunswick, NJ 08901
   
   Fax Number: 732 745 9063

PARTNERS: Keeping Health Care Safe and Effective

From the time we are very young, we learn about the value of teamwork. At Saint Peter’s, we believe health care is “at its best” when our physicians, nurses and staff work closely with you and your family to make your health care both safe and effective. Following are specific ways you can partner with us to have the best possible healthcare experience. For more details, please review the brochure, PARTNERS: Keeping Health Care Safe and Effective. A copy is included in your yellow folder.

1. Participate in all healthcare decisions. You are the center of our team. Keep copies of your medical history, including treatment plans and a complete list of your medications. Share this information with your healthcare providers. Remember that herbs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, supplements and alternative therapies are part of your total health picture and should be shared with the team.
   
   Be sure that you and your healthcare provider agree on your plan of care each step of the way. Don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion. Consult with one or two other doctors if you are unsure about your illness and the best plan of care.
2. Wash your hands. During your stay, especially after using the bathroom and before meals, help prevent infection by washing your hands thoroughly and frequently. Your care providers, before and after each visit, will use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to disinfect their hands.
3. Ask questions. If you do not understand or have concerns, ask us. You have the right to know and understand your treatment plan and options. Learn approximately how long treatment will last and how you should feel. Write questions down and don’t be shy or embarrassed to ask us about something that is unclear or confusing.
4. Recognize the members of your healthcare team. Expect all staff to introduce themselves to you. Look for the picture on his/her identification badge. If you are not sure about someone, ask the person to identify himself/herself.
   
   Make sure the staff knows who you are and that they take necessary safety precautions such as checking your hospital wristband before giving you medication or taking you for a test.
5. Tell us what else you might need to make your plan of care work best. Tell us when you have pain, where the pain is and what it feels like. We will ask and want to know. Tell us if the medications or other treatments are helping your pain.
   
   Don’t be shy about telling us it is time for your pain medication, or if the medication did not help reduce your pain to a point that is acceptable for you. Pain is more difficult to control as it becomes worse—do not wait to tell us.
6. Notice the care and treatments you are receiving on an ongoing basis. Know the name, purpose, dosage and possible side effects of all your medications. Tell us if you are having any side effects. After taking your medication, tell your care providers if you feel or notice anything that you did not expect.
   
   Remind your doctor or nurse about any allergies you have or negative reactions you have had in the past.
   
   Ask when you are not sure about whether to chew or swallow your medicine.
   
   Inform the nurse or doctor if you do not recognize a medication or it seems different. This could be:
   
   
   • a different size, shape, or color of pill; for example, a capsule instead of a tablet.
   • a different size, liquid color or label on an intravenous (IV).
   • a different way or route for the medication to be given to you; for example, a shot instead of a pill.
   • a different time of day when the medication is given; for example, a pill you are typically given in the morning is given in the afternoon.
   
   
   
7. Educate yourself and your family about your diagnosis and treatment plans. Your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, your public library, respected websites and well-known support groups are all good sources of information on your diagnosis and treatment. Read the written information provided by your care providers.
   
   More tests and treatments are not always the only or best choices; rather, ask what a new test, medication or therapy is likely to do.
8. Request a trusted family member or friend to be your support person, your advocate. Make sure your advocate understands your preferences and your wishes.
   
   Review consents for treatments and procedures with this person before you sign them to make sure you understand to what you are agreeing. Request of your advocate to ask questions and write down answers if you are stressed or in pain.
   
   Ask your advocate to help you with visitors and phone calls, so that you get the rest you need.
9. Get ready for discharge as soon as possible. We want you to feel ready for discharge before you leave Saint Peter’s University Hospital. For a helpful discharge list, visit Your Discharge.

Billing and Payment

Saint Peter’s University Hospital is a non-profit hospital and depends upon prompt payments by our patients and their health insurance companies. In this way, we can provide the best health care possible.

Health Insurance

If your health insurance company requires pre-certification, you are responsible to obtain this before admission.

If you have health insurance, please give us your insurance identification cards during admission. Payments from the health insurance company will be made directly to the hospital. Saint Peter’s will bill your health insurance company after we confirm that your policy is active and that benefits can be paid directly to the hospital.

If you do not provide us with accurate, current information, we will be unable to bill your health insurance company. Therefore, you will be required to pay, prior to your admission, an estimated amount based on the scheduled services.

If you have health insurance that does not cover the complete cost of your care, you will be required to pay the difference prior to admission and before you receive the scheduled services.

If your health insurance requires co-payments and/or deductibles, you will be required to pay these amounts prior to admission and before you receive the scheduled services.

If you do not have health insurance, you will be required to pay 50 percent of the estimated final amount due. A statement showing the remaining balance due will be mailed to you. If needed, you can make monthly payments. Please call our Business Office at 877-799-8824 about this option.

Billing and Payment

You are responsible for paying your hospital bill. Please remember that your hospitalization coverage is a contract between you and your health insurance company.

Your hospital bill includes fees for the use of the hospital and equipment as well as the time of the hospital personnel. Your hospital bill does not include the fees of your physician(s) such as radiologists, anesthesiologists, pathologists, cardiologists, psychiatrists and emergency room physicians. You will be billed separately by the physician(s) for these fees.

We will contact your health insurance company if there is any problem in processing the claim. However, if we do not receive payment from them in about 45 days, we will contact you for payment. You may then seek a refund from your health insurance company.

If you and/or your family have any questions concerning your hospital bill, please contact a billing service representative in our Business Office at 877 799 8824. He/she can assist you with your health insurance company and any financial needs.

Payment for your complete hospital stay will be due upon receipt of your bill. Payment for personal items such as guest meals, the private room charge, etc. must be paid upon discharge.

If there are financial difficulties that make the deposit or full payment impossible, please contact our Business Office at 877-799-8824 as soon as possible. Together, we can develop a payment schedule or determine if you qualify for New Jersey Medicaid, New Jersey Charity Care, or Saint Peter’s Compassionate Billing Rate.

For Billing Questions

If you and/or your family have any questions concerning your hospital bill, please contact a billing service representative in our Business Office at 877 799 8824.

The Billing Services Representative is trained regarding all phases of health insurance and can also assist you with financial arrangements.

New Jersey Charity Care

Under the State of New Jersey’s Charity Care Program, Saint Peter’s University Hospital provides free care or care for reduced charges to a patient who qualifies, without respect to race, age, religion, national origin, gender or any other grounds unrelated to the patient’s need for service.

To get a list of required documents to complete a Charity Care application, please contact our Business Office at 877-799-8824.

When all of your documents are gathered, contact our financial counselors at 732-745-8600, extension 7801 to schedule an appointment. Financial counselors can meet with you Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Limited weekend appointments are also available. In-person or telephone interpreters are available for anyone speaking a language other than English.

If you do not qualify for free care or reduced charges and believe a decision error was made, you may submit an appeal by writing to:

Director of Patient Financial Services
Saint Peter’s University Hospital
254 Easton Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Ambulance Charges

During your stay at Saint Peter’s, there may be times when your physician will want to send you to another facility, either for special tests, procedures and/or evaluations. This will require transportation by an ambulance.

The fee for this round-trip transportation will be included in your hospital bill only if you are a Medicare or Medicaid recipient. If you are not covered under Medicare or Medicaid, the ambulance fee will be billed separately to you or your health insurance company.

If you are discharged and use the ambulance for transportation to your home or to another hospital, this one-way transportation will be billed directly by the ambulance company to your health insurance company. You will be responsible for any fees that they do not cover.

Medical Necessity

Saint Peter’s University Hospital is required to comply with state and federal laws, which state that hospital admissions are subject to review by the Quality Improvement Organization. This program represents the efforts of local physicians working together to ensure that your admission and continued stay in the hospital are medically necessary and that the quality of services provided to you meet professionally recognized standards of care.

Your health insurance company may also review the medical necessity for your hospitalization and authorize benefits based on your coverage.

If it is determined that your condition does not require inpatient acute hospital care, you may receive a written notice. If this occurs, your health insurance company will discontinue payment for hospital services on the effective date stated in the notice. Any hospital stay beyond the notification letter will not be covered by health insurance, and you will be financially responsible for any additional time in the hospital. Be assured that a decision regarding termination of benefits will be made only after a conference between your doctor and a physician advisor.

Early planning for discharge is beneficial for you and your family. It can help prevent a denial of health insurance coverage. Saint Peter’s Care Coordination staff, working with you, your family and your physician, can assist by arranging a plan of care to meet your needs after you leave the hospital.

Your Discharge

Preparing for your discharge begins on admission. On the day of your discharge, your doctor will write the order and tell you when you will be able to leave the hospital. Please make plans for someone to take you home. If possible, please send most of your belongings home prior to the day of discharge.

In maternity, the mother with her new baby will be transported to the car in a wheelchair. The baby should be placed in his or her car seat while in the hospital to ensure a proper fit. The base of the baby’s car seat should remain in the car, secured in the back seat of the car in the rear-facing position. By taking these steps, you will only need to place the baby and car seat in the already secured base.

In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the baby is not discharged by wheelchair. Rather, a member of the NICU staff carries the baby out of the hospital, whether or not the mother has been previously discharged.

In other areas, if you, your doctor or your nurse feels you need a wheelchair, Transport Services will be called by the nurses’ station and a wheelchair will be brought to you. Otherwise, you may walk to the car after receiving your discharge information from the nurse. In all cases, the person taking you home should bring the car to the area marked “Patient Discharge” where you may be picked up.

We want you to feel ready.

• Ask any questions about what you can expect (or cannot expect) when you go home.
• Review your specific instructions about medications, wound care, physical limitations, dietary restrictions, and/or safety precautions.
• Know what symptoms are “normal,” which ones might or should cause you concern and when to call your healthcare provider.
• Be sure you are familiar with and comfortable about the working of any equipment you will need to use.
• Make sure you can read the handwriting on prescriptions given to you by your doctor before you leave.
• Know which of your previous medications you should or should not continue to take with any newly prescribed medications.