Patient/Visitor Services

CASE MANAGEMENT

The Case Management department serves as the liaison between the hospital, your health insurance company and community resources. The department provides the following services: assessment and coordination of discharge planning including home care, hospice care, durable medical equipment, rehabilitation and nursing home placement, OB/Nursery, and ambulance/wheelchair van transportation as needed for discharge. Case Management provides information about community agencies and makes referrals (if appropriate) to these agencies. Case Management consults for any victims of Domestic Violence and will keep confidentiality with referrals for safety. Social Services are also provided. If you have a question for your case manager, call ext. 2029 from the phone in your room.

PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION SERVICES

Montgomery Hospital provides rehabilitative services to inpatients and outpatients. Specific programs include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and swallowing therapies, pediatric therapies, cardiac rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, hand therapy, aquatic therapy, physiatric evaluations and EMG's. Rehabilitation begins with a referral from your physician. Our team of rehabilitation therapists then work with your physician to structure a program to meet your individual rehabilitation needs. For more information, call 610-270-2400.

Emergency Room: Our Emergency Room is located on the right side of the main hospital building and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for all acute care needs. An Emergency Room physician is on-site at all times. If you are being admitted as an outpatient through the Emergency Room, there may be some wait time as patients are administered to by level of acuity.

TRANSLATOR/HEARING AND LANGUAGE SERVICES

To ensure effective communication with patients and their companions who are deaf, hard of hearing or have limited English proficience, we provide appropriate language/auxiliary aids and services free of charge. These services include language interpreters, sign languate interpreters, TTY's, written materials, telephones compatible with hearing aids and volume control. Please ask your nurse or nursing supervisor.

SECURITY SERVICES

For your safety and protection, security officers are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

MEDICAL EQUIPTMENT AND SUPPLIES

If you need any medical equiptment or supplies, the Case Management department will provide you with an explanation of the services and a list of local medical equiptment companies upon your discharge. Examples of such equiptment are beds, wheelchairs, walkers, nebulizers and nutrition products.

MAIL AND FLOWERS

Mail and flowers are delivered Monday through Friday by our volunteer staff. You can give outgoing mail to your nurse. Your Montgomery Hospital address is:

Your Name and Room Number

Montgomery Hospital Medical Center

1301 Powell Street

Norristown, PA 19401

HAIR CARE SERVICE

For your convenience, a Barber and Beauty Shop, which offers a full range of hair care from trims to perms, is located on the fourth floor of the hospital. The hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. To schedule an appointment, please call ext. 2169.

NOTARY

If you require the services of a Notary Public during your stay at our hospital, please call 610-270-2731.

RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS

Montgomery Hospital Medical Center recognizes the holisitc needs of all patients. Spiritual and religious experience is an integral component of care and daily life. Montgomery Hospital provides spiritual/pastoral care at the patient's request without regard to religious affiliation. A non-denominational chapel is located on the first floor of the hospital. The chapel is open at all times and is available for use by patients and visitors. The nursing staff would be happy to notify your specific cleric or church if you desire a visit.

VALUABLES

Montgomery Hospital does not assume responsibility for your valuables unlss they are placed in the Hospital's safe. Please send valuables home with a loved one upon your admission. If this is not possible, valuables can be placed in the hospital safe for the duration of your stay. To make arrangements to use the hospital safe, contact your nurse.

VOLUNTEER SERVICES

Montgomery Hospital volunteers are a vital resource to our patients, their family members and visitors, and to our employees. Recognizable in blue vests and jackets, our volunteers dedicate their time and energy to making your stay more comfortable.

VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

Our volunteer ambassadors have good listening skills; they are flexible, sensitive and professional. These volunteers visit with our patients during their stay to learn if a patient has any special needs or how the hospital might better serve them.

COURTESY VAN/MONTREX

Once you are released from the hospital, you may be required to visit us as an outpatient for various care and services. Montrex volunteers drive patients (who require transportation and live within a five-mile radius of the hospital) to and from appointments or cancer treatments. To schedule a courtesy van from Montrex, call 610-270-2501.

HOME CARE

Montgomery Home care is a progressive, award winning, Medicare Certified, and TJC accredited home health agency that specializes in providing in-home intermittent medical services to patients. The goal of home care is to assist patients in achieving the highest level of independence and wallness possible, while staying in the comfort of their home. A team of nursing professionals, therapy aides, etc. work together to educate, coordinate and provide direct care. Specialized services such as wound care, cardiac rehabilitation, fall prevention, CHF, edema management, and hospital-to-home fast track joint recovery program. This service is covered by m ost insurance companies and is provided with your doctors request, or at the patient request with a doctor's order. Your hospital discharge planner will be happy to facilitate a referral. For more information, call 610-272-1080. If needed, our Case Management department has information on a variety of other providers as well.

HOSPICE CARE

Montgomery Hospital Hospice Program, a department of Montgomery Hospital, provides expertise and comprehensive care to terminally ill patients. Hospice care is designed to relieve the physical, emotional and spiritual pain that seriously ill patients and their families' experience while encouraging difnity and respect. Our team of experts who specialize in pain and symptom control will develop a customized plan to meet the needs of patient and family. Hospice care can be provided in the hospital, at home or in a facility. Our hospice team will help coordinate your care across a variety of settings. A nurse will be happy to provide a complementary visit to meet with you to explain the program and answer any specific questions. Hospice is covered by Medicare and most major insurance plans. A nurse is on call 24-hours a day. For more information on the program, please call 610-272-1080. You may also contact your case manager for assistance.

PALLIATIVE CARE CONSULT SERVICE

The Palliative Care Consult Team, PACT, is a service available to patients with complex pain or symptom needs regardless of the stage of their illnses. The goal of the PACT team is to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for patients with advanced illness, while assisting families with advanced care planning and the stresses that coincide with being a caregiver. Palliative care is provided by a highly skilled interdisciplinary team and is offered in conjunction with all other appropriate forms of medical care. Examples of service may include: clinical expertise related to pain and symptom management, initiate discussions regarding advanced care planning, living will and code status, analyze medications for maximum effectiveness, and/or crisis intervention and family conflict resolution. Services are requested by your doctor and all findings and reccommendations will be discussed with you physician. For more information, call 610-313-5079.

PREVENTING INFECTION BY KEEPING YOUR HOSPITAL ROOM CLEAN

The American Society for Healthcare Environmental Services (ASHES) offers this advice to patients to ensure a clean, healthy environment:

• Clean your hands and request that others do the same. Germs reside on many surfaces in the hospital. It is important for you to keep your hands away from tubes, wounds and face. Wash your hands frequently. Watch the staff to make sure they wash or sanitize their hands with waterless sanitizer before providing care - and remind them if they forget.
• Survey your room. Does it look clean? The hospital's Environmental Services (EVS) staff will clean your room once daily concentrating on high-touch surfaces. If you feel they have missed something, please let the staff member know immediately. If EVS cleans your room when you are not there, they will leave a card to let you know they cleaned while you were away. If you have concerns, please ask your nurse to call EVS to correct the issue. Alerting EVS of a concern will help ensure a clean, healthy environment.
• Don't contribute to the clutter. Limit personal items and reduce clutter to ease tje critical job of cleaning hospital rooms. Keep personal items off of the floor and away from waste containers.
• Your over-the-bed table should be cleaned/disinfected at least once a day. This should be done by EVS but can be repeated just before you eat by the person delivering your meal tray.
• Never use a dirty pillow. Notify a staff member if your pillow falls on the floor or becomes soiled.
• Visitor etiquette is important to your health. Visitors should not sit on your bed or handle your equiptment. Ask visitors to sanitize their hands when entering and leaving your room to avoid bringing in and carrying out germs. Guests should not visit if they are sick or have had any symptoms within the last three days including nausea, vomitting, diarrhea, fever (or feeling feverish), uncontrolled cough or rash.
• Prevent germs on the floor from contaminating your bed. Remove your slippers, socks or footies before putting your feet on or in your bed.
• Patient bathrooms are only for patients. Visitors should use common bathrooms in the lobby or hallways.
• If you have further questions about infection prevention or healthcare environmental services, ask your nurse to contact the appropriate director to meet with you.