Thank you for choosing Methodist Medical Center. It is important to us that we provide you with EXCELLENT Care. Your health and well-being are our primary concerns, and we hope your stay is as pleasant and comfortable as possible. This booklet provides information our guests often request. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask your nurse, doctor or other hospital staff member. We wish you a successful, rapid recovery and lasting good health.

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge is a not-for-profit regional medical center licensed for 301 beds. The medical center is governed by a volunteer board of directors and has the highest accreditation rating from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. In addition, the medical center is a member of Covenant Health, the Knoxville Area Hospital Council and Voluntary Hospitals of America.

MMC has developed a Mission and Vision for services to make Methodist Medical Center the First Choice for Health Care.

Methodist Medical Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin or handicapped condition.

What to expect during your hospital stay:
(Formerly Patient's Bill of Rights)

Understanding expectations, rights and responsibilities
When you need hospital care, your doctor and the nurses and other professionals at our hospital are committed to working with you and your family to meet your health care needs. Our goal is for you and your family to have the same excellent care and attention we would want for our families and ourselves.

Here are some basics about how you can expect to be treated during your hospital stay. They also cover what we will need from you to care for you better. If you have questions at any time, please ask them. Your comfort and confidence in your care are very important to us.

• High-quality hospital care. Our first priority is to provide you the care you need, when you need it, with skill, compassion and respect. Tell your caregivers if you have concerns about your care or if you have pain. You have the right to know the identity of doctors, nurses and others involved in your care, and you have the right to know when they are students, or other trainees.

• A clean and safe environment. Our hospital works hard to keep you safe. We use special policies and procedures to avoid mistakes in your care and keep you free from abuse or neglect. If anything unexpected and significant happens during your hospital stay, you will be told, and any resulting changes in your care will be discussed with you.

• Involvement in your care. You and your doctor often make decisions about your care before you go to the hospital. Other times, especially in emergencies, those decisions are made during your hospital stay. When decision-making takes place, it should include:
  • Discussing your medical condition and information about medically appropriate treatment choices. To make informed decisions with your doctor, you need to understand:
    • The benefits and risks of each treatment.
    • Whether your treatment is experimental or part of a research study.
    • What you can reasonably expect from your treatment and any long-term effects it might have on your quality of life.
    • What you and your family will need to do after you leave the hospital.
    • The financial consequences of using uncovered services or out-of-network providers.

    Please tell your caregivers if you need more information about treatment choices.

  • Discussing your treatment plan. When you enter the hospital, you sign a general consent to treatment. In some cases, such as surgery or other procedures, you may be asked to confirm in writing you understand what is planned and agree to it. This process protects your right to consent to or refuse a treatment. Your doctor will explain the medical consequences of refusing recommended treatment. This process also protects your right to decide if you want to participate in a research study.

  • Getting information from you. Your caregivers need complete and correct information about your health and coverage so they can make good decisions about your care. This includes:
    • Past illnesses, surgeries or hospital stays.
    • Past allergic reactions.
    • Any medicines or dietary supplements (such as vitamins and herbs) that you are taking.
    • Any network or admission requirements under your health plan.

  • Understanding your health care goals and values. You may have health care goals and values or spiritual beliefs that are important to your well-being. They will be taken into account as much as possible throughout your hospital stay. Make sure your doctor, family and care team know your wishes.

  • Understanding who should make decisions when you cannot. We will ask you on admission if you have signed a health care power of attorney stating who should speak for you if you become unable to make health care decisions for yourself, or a "living will" or "advance directive" that states your wishes about end-of-life care. You should give copies to your doctor, family and nurse or registration clerk. If you or your family members need help making difficult decisions, chaplains and others are available to assist. A brochure and sample copies of the forms are available in the Admissions Office at 835-4900 (or ext. 54900 if dialing from within the hospital) or on the nursing unit.

• Protection of your privacy. We respect the confidentiality of your relationship with your doctor and other caregivers, and the sensitive information about your health and health care which are part of those relationships. State and federal laws and hospital operating policies protect the privacy of your medical information. You will receive a Notice of Privacy Practices that describes the way we use, disclose and safeguard patient information. The notice explains how you can obtain a copy of information from our records about your care.

• Preparing you and your family for when you leave the hospital. Your doctor works with hospital staff and professionals in your community. You and your family also play an important role in your care. Your physician will write a discharge order, and your nurse will provide discharge instructions. The success of your treatment often depends on your efforts to follow medication, diet and therapy plans. Your family may need to help care for you at home.

  You can expect us to help you identify sources of follow-up care. Our Case Management Department can explain your health care choices and help you determine the best arrangement for you and your family. As long as you agree that we can share information about your care, we will coordinate our activities with your caregivers outside the hospital. You can also expect to receive information and, where possible, training about the self-care you will need when you go home.

  For more information on discharge planning, see your nurse or call Case Management at 835-4544, 835-4565 or 835-4559 (or ext. 54544, 54565 or 54559 if dialing from within the hospital).

• Help with your bill and filing insurance claims. Our staff will file claims for you with health care insurers or other programs such as Medicare and TennCare. We also will help your doctor with needed documentation. If you need help understanding your insurance coverage or health plan, start with your insurance company or health benefits manager. If you don't have health coverage, we will try to help you and your family find financial help or make other arrangements. We need your help with collecting needed information and other requirements to obtain coverage or assistance.

  After you are discharged from the hospital, you will receive a statement of your charges. You will also receive separate bills from your attending physician and possibly from other specialists for services like:

  • Anesthesia
  • Pathology
  • Interpretative X-rays.

  Hospital bills and insurance coverage are often confusing. If you have questions about your bill, please contact our Business Office at 835-3560 (or extension 53560 if dialing from within the hospital).

Other services available to you

Chapel and clergy

The medical center's chapel, located in the main lobby, is open 24 hours a day. Our chaplain is available to assist you and your family and may be reached by calling 835-5233 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. You may also have the chaplain paged through the hospital operator at 835-1000. If you need pastoral care after hours, please contact your nurse or a nurse supervisor.

Deliveries and mail

Mail, flowers and other items are delivered daily and should be addressed as follows: Patient's first and last name, Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, 990 Oak Ridge Turnpike, P.O. Box 2529, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-2529. Ask a volunteer to post your outgoing mail. Stamps are available in the hospital gift shop.

Patient rooms

Several factors, such as medical diagnosis, gender and patient preferences, affect the assignment of hospital rooms. If your doctor has requested a particular type of room based on your diagnosis, we will make every effort to accommodate the request. If your doctor has requested a private room and one is unavailable, we will place your name on a room transfer list. Then we will contact you as soon as a private room becomes available.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please call the Admissions Office at 835-4900 (or ext. 54900 if dialing from within the hospital).

Room service and cafeteria

Soon after your admission to the hospital, your physician will prescribe a specific diet to meet your needs. Use the menu in your room to order meals. To place your order, dial 835-4100 (or ext. 54100 if dialing from within the hospital). Your order will be verified for diet compliance and prepared according to your wishes. You may pre-order up to three meals in advance. Please order only the foods you plan to eat, so accurate calorie counts may be taken.

Guest meals are available for $5 per tray, with payment required upon delivery.

Family and friends are invited to eat in our cafeteria. Hours are:

• Breakfast: 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday (Closed on weekends.)
• Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Sunday
• Dinner: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday
• Snack: Midnight to 2 a.m. Monday through Sunday

The hospital also has vending areas on the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th floors near Elevator A.

Medicines from home

To ensure your safety our pharmacists carefully review and dispense all medications while you are in the hospital. If you are currently taking any medications you brought from home, it is very important to tell your nurse. You may be asked to send these medications home. All medications taken in the hospital must be administered by your nurse or physician.

Nurse call system

When you need nursing assistance, just press the nurse call button. The unit secretary will answer the call and relay your request to your nurse.

Television

Each room has a remote-control television for your convenience.

Valuables

The best place for your jewelry, cash, credit cards and other valuables is at home. If you brought any of these items with you, please deposit them in our vault for safe keeping. Your nurse will help you with this process. The medical center cannot be responsible for loss or damage of personal possessions left in your room.

Hospitality cart

A hospitality cart with complimentary coffee for patients and visitors stops by each patient room in the morning. This service is courtesy of our volunteer organization.

Gift shop

The Pink Placebo Gift Shop in the main lobby is open at the following times:

• Weekdays: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Volunteers staff our gift shop and will deliver items to your room. Call 835-5264 (or ext. 55264 if dialing from within the hospital) for assistance. All proceeds from the gift shop go toward scholarships and needed resources for the hospital. Some personal items are available by calling 835-4170 (or ext. 54170 if dialing from within the hospital). Many of these items also are sold in the gift shop.

Reading material

Volunteers will loan books and magazines at your request. Please call Volunteer Services at 835-4170 (or ext. 54170 if dialing from within the hospital) or ask your nurse for this service.

Electrical appliances

Electrical devices that are defective or misused may injure patients, visitors and staff. We ask that you leave your personal appliances at home.

Smoking

The medical center doesn't permit smoking inside the building. Visitors, patients and employees who wish to smoke may use specially designated outside areas. We developed this policy to provide you and others with a healthy environment that enhances patient care. Smoking cessation aids such as nicotine patches and gum are available. Please ask your doctor or nurse for more information.

Visiting hours

• General - 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• Maternity - Visiting hours for the Family Birthing Center are flexible and at the discretion of the mother. Fathers and grandparents are allowed to visit anytime. Siblings of the newborns are permitted to visit their mothers, and must be accompanied by an adult. Only one visitor is allowed overnight after the birth of a baby.

• Critical Care Units (Intensive Care, Coronary Care and Cardiovascular Surgical) -
  10 to 10:30 a.m.
  1 to 1:30 p.m.
  3 to 3:30 p.m.
  5:30-6 p.m.
  8:30-9 p.m.

Only immediate family members may visit, although friends may substitute in the absence of family. Visitation is limited to two people for 30 minutes at a time. A separate brochure about the Critical Care Units is available from a nurse in those departments.

Visitors Our primary concern is the comfort and healing of our patients. Please ask your guests to observe the following guidelines:

• The medical center does not allow smoking in patient rooms. Smoking is permitted outside only.

• Only two visitors are allowed at a time per patient.

• Visitors under age 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

• Under special circumstances, visiting hours and restrictions may be waived. Please check with your nurse or the unit manager if you need an individual adjustment of the visiting policy.

• A guest who has permission to stay overnight with a patient may purchase guest meal tickets. This service is available from Nutrition Services (835-4100 (or ext. 54100 if dialing from within the hospital) between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. At other times, check with your nurse. Because of space and safety, we request that only one visitor stay with a patient at a time. Patients in semiprivate rooms should not have overnight guests of the opposite sex.

• The medical center cafeteria is open at the following times:
  • Breakfast: 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday (Closed on weekends.)
  • Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Sunday
  • Dinner: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday
  • Snack: Midnight to 2 a.m. Monday through Sunday

  Visitors are welcome to eat in the cafeteria. Carry-out is available.

• For the health and safety of patients and visitors, visitors should not use a patient's restroom. Public restrooms are available on each floor of the hospital.

• Local calls: Dial 9, then dial the local phone number.

• Long-distance calls: Dial 9, then 0 and the number. Long-distance calls cannot be charged to your room, but you may make collect calls or charge calls to a third number or credit card.

• Incoming calls: People outside the medical center may call your room directly by dialing 835-1, then your room number. Incoming calls will not be directed to patient rooms between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., although patients may continue to call out during those hours.

• Inside the medical center: To call another patient's room, dial 1 and the room number. Medical center departments have five-digit phone numbers that you may reach by dialing direct.

• Cell phones: Cell phones should be OFF and NOT IN USE IN PATIENT CARE AREAS. For patient safety, please use cell phones only in designated areas: (1) waiting rooms; (2) vending areas; and (3) cafeteria. Otherwise while in the hospital, CELL PHONES MUST BE TURNED OFF.

Telecommunications device for hearing impairments

Methodist Medical Center has a PortaPrinter enabling people with hearing impairments to interpret telephone messages. Tell your nurse if you need this service, and someone will connect the assistive device in your room.

Frequently called numbers

Acute Care Services/Patient Update Line	374-4540
Use last 5-digits of each number listed if dialing from within the hospital
Administration	835-4000
Admissions	835-4900
Breast Center	835-3760
Business Office	835-3560
Cancer Center	835-4500
Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation	835-5235
Chaplain	835-5233
Cheyenne Outpatient Diagnostic Center	835-4941
Childbirth Classes	835-2268
Comprehensive Chest Cancer Clinic	835-5224
Congestive Heart Failure	835-5225
Customer Service	835-5212
Diabetes Center	835-3790
Doctor Finder Health Information	835-4662
Emergency	835-4908
Family Birthing Center	835-2250
Family Education Program	835-2268
Foundation	835-5261
Gift Shop	835-5264
Home Care and Hospice	835-5065
Hospitality House	835-4358
Human Resources	835-3720
Laboratory	835-4280
Library	835-3484
Lifeline/To Order	835-4662
Marketing and Public Relations	835-4400
Materials Management	835-3336
Medical Records	835-3500
Medical Staff Office	835-3980
MMC HealthWorks	835-4320
Neurodiagnostics	835-5267
Nursing Administration	835-3940
Occupational Medicine/MMC HealthWorks	835-4320
Occupational Therapy	835-3370
Outcomes Management	835-5212
Outpatient Diagnostic Center	835-4941
Outpatient Dietitian	835-3790
Outpatient Registration	835-4901
Patient Information	835-4184
After hours, call	835-5231
Pharmacy	835-3900
Physical Therapy	835-3370
Physician Referral	835-4662
Radiation Oncology	835-4500
Registration	835-4900
Same Day Services	835-3000
Secret City Café Menu Hotline	835-4112
Security	835-1000
Sleep Diagnostic Center	835-3810
Smoking Cessation	835-4662
Social Services and Discharge Planning	835-4544
Speech Therapy	835-3370
Volunteer Services	835-4170
Waiting Rooms
Acute Care Units Waiting Room	835-4173
Surgery Waiting Room	835-4175
Wellness Place (Chest Clinic/CHF/Diabetes)	835-3790
Wound Treatment Center	835-3740
X-Ray	835-4600

About Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge

Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge has been a symbol of excellence since 1943. We have remained on the leading edge of medical technology and continue to provide the most up-to-date care available. We are committed to the health and comfort of our patients.

Every year, more than 140,000 patients from East Tennessee and Kentucky choose Methodist Medical Center for their care. To meet their needs we have a medical staff of approximately 175 physicians, who represent more than 30 medical and surgical specialties. Most of the physicians are board-certified in their field. In addition, more than 1,400 nurses, technologists and other healthcare professionals provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient services.

In 1997 MMC became the first hospital to earn the state's highest award for quality - the Tennessee Quality Governors Award. The honor places Methodist Medical Center among the best organizations in the state.

At Methodist Medical Center, we take quality care very seriously. Several employee teams are hard at work evaluating and redesigning services for you.

We need your feedback so we can continually improve. During and after your stay at MMC you may be contacted to see what you thought of our care. We hope you'll let our Customer Service Department know if we can do anything to make your visit more comfortable. Don't forget to read about our "We Care Guarantee" in this booklet.

Medical specialties

Continuous modern expansion dramatically increases the services Methodist Medical Center offers. Specialties include:

Allergy
Anesthesiology
Cardiology
Cardiovascular surgery
Dermatology
Emergency
Endocrinology
Family practice
Gastroenterology
General surgery
Geriatrics
Gynecology
Hematology
Immunology
Internal medicine
Nephrology
Neurology
Neurosurgery
Obstetrics
Occupational medicine
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Orthopedics
Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery)
Pathology
Pedodontics/pediatric dentistry
Periodontics
Plastic and reconstructive surgery
Psychiatry
Pulmonology
Radiology
Radiation oncology
Thoracic surgery
Urology
Vascular surgery

Methodist Medical Group - primary care admissions

Your family (or primary care) doctor may have referred you to the hospital for care by Methodist Medical Group physicians. These professionals will follow your care from admission to discharge. They go to great lengths to assure your family doctor is fully informed of every aspect of your care.

When you leave the hospital, MMG physicians will send your doctor a complete summary of your illness and treatment ,including test results and medications. This summary is often in your doctor's office before you even get home. So your doctor can provide any follow-up care needed.

Resolve Through Sharing bereavement care

Someone once said, "Grief shared is grief diminished, you are now beginning a journey."

Resolve Through Sharing counselors assist families on their individual journey of grief. The journey is a lifelong experience. The death of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth is a devastating experience. Grief is a normal, healthy response to loss.

The RTS counselor can help you create memories and find ways to express your grief. Most of all he or she listens and gives you permission to grieve. There is no correct way to grieve, but sometimes family and friends put expectations on the bereaved. Each person's experience is individual, so just because you aren't grieving like someone else doesn't mean your grieving wrong. It is just different.

Eventually you will be able to talk or think about your baby with less pain. This may take months to years, but it will soften and you will begin to look forward to life again.

For counseling or information please call Methodist Medical Center's RTS Bereavement Services, (865) 835-2268. If there's no answer leave a message, and someone will return your call.

The Hospitality House

Do you need a place to stay? We can help.

The Hospitality House is a "home away from home" for out-of-town families who need a place to stay. The house serves primarily patients of Methodist Regional Cancer Center and their caregivers. Other outpatients of Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge and their families may use the facilities when space is available. All guests must live 30 or more miles from Oak Ridge and be referred by an appropriate person at the cancer center, hospital or a physician's office.

The Hospitality House has all the comforts of home. Guests stay in one of four cozy suites and share a living room, kitchen-dining area and laundry room. In warm weather they can enjoy a picnic area and screened back porch.

The house's full-time director and volunteers create an atmosphere where guests become part of a larger "family." Patients and caregivers have an opportunity to share their experiences and draw strength from one another. That's important when people are feeling the emotional, physical and financial pressures of a medical crisis.

The Hospitality House of Methodist Medical Center Foundation offers these services free of charge, but we welcome donations.

For more information, call the hospital operator by dialing "0," or the Hospitality House at 835-4358 (or ext. 54358 if dialing from within the hospital).

'We Care' Guarantee

We care so much about your quality of care at Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge that we guarantee your satisfaction.

When MMC says, "We care," we back it up. Our guarantee is that medical center personnel will offer health-care services to your satisfaction. This includes our customer-service performance standards:

• Be prompt.
• Keep the patient informed.
• Provide room comfort.
• Respect privacy.
• Be friendly.
• Anticipate customer needs.

If an investigation indicates your complaint was justified, the guarantee will be in effect. We will work with you to remedy the situation to your satisfaction. The guarantee does not cover waiting for service in those departments where the most seriously ill patient is treated first. In addition, the nature of illness prevents us from making any guarantee about the results of your medical care. We also are unable to guarantee the services by physicians or dentists.

This guarantee program is not an admission of liability, whether expressed or implied, relative to service the hospital renders.

If you have a complaint or concern about your care, the first step is to discuss it with your physician or the nursing manager/supervisor. Any staff member can help you start this process. Most complaints have obvious causes that can be resolved to your satisfaction by discussing them with the appropriate hospital personnel or physician.

However, if the concern has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to file a grievance and request a review by the Grievance Committee. To initiate the process, call (865) 835-5212 (or ext. 5212 if dialing from within the hospital) and ask to speak with someone to discuss a grievance. You can file in writing, in person or by telephone, (865) 835-5212 (or ext. 5212 if dialing from within the hospital), or 835-5233 (or ext. 55233 if dialing from within the hospital).

Patients also have the right to lodge a state grievance with the East Tennessee Department of Health, (865) 549-5313. A Section 504 complaint may be filed with the Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.