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Before you are admitted to the hospital, you will be given
information and instructions to help you prepare for your stay or
procedure. The preadmission process is designed to ensure that you
receive the highest quality of care, from registration to
discharge. This guide explains our role in preadmission by answering
some of the most frequently asked questions.
What is pretesting?
Certain surgical procedures require that you have testing done in
order to give the medical staff information about your
condition. These tests may include
- blood work
- urine tests
- chest X-rays
- electrocardiogram (also known as an EKG).
Other tests not mentioned here may be ordered for you. If you have
any questions about these tests, please ask your doctor or our
staff.
Where can I get these tests?
Please contact your Primary Care Physician and s/he will specify
where you should go.
What if I choose to have pretesting done at Jefferson Regional Medical Center?
You will be contacted by the preadmissions department or, if you
wish, you can contact them at (412) 469-5292 to set up an appointment
for your interview.
You will undergo a preadmission interview so that most of your
paperwork for admission to the hospital will already be done on the
day of your admission or surgical procedure. As part of the interview,
you may have testing done.
What if I have my tests done somewhere else?
If you do not have pretesting done at Jefferson Regional Medical
Center, you will still be contacted by our preadmission department and
may need to come in for the preadmission interview.
Will I have to fast?
Certain tests do require that you don't eat for a period of time
before the test. You will be given instructions for your specific
tests. If you need more information, please ask your doctor
or our staff.
What will happen during my preadmission interview?
During the preadmission process you will be interviewed by a nurse
who will
- ask questions regarding your medical history, such as any
allergies or allergic reactions you may have and if you've had prior
surgery for any reason;
- give you (and a family member if needed) preprocedure
instructions; and
- discuss the need for an advance directive and/or living will.
You will be given a patient information folder. Please bring this
folder with you on the day you come to the hospital. It will prove to
be a handy place to keep all the information you are given before and
during your stay.
You may also be interviewed by an anesthesiologist, a doctor
especially trained in the use of anesthesia. He will review your
history and surgical procedure and recommend a type of anesthesia best
suited for your particular condition.
During the preadmission process you will also meet a social worker
who will begin planning the care you will receive after you have been
discharged from the hospital. The social worker can also provide you
with information on a wide variety of resources.
It is important during this process that you answer all questions
asked of you and that you ask any questions that you may have
concerning your care.
You may be asked at this time to sign
- an informed consent form,
- a release of information form,
- various insurance forms specific to your particular insurance
company, and
- anesthesia consent is signed when patient sees anesthesiologist at
time of preadmission interview.
These documents are needed for your care. We encourage you to read
them and ask questions about them before you sign them.
How will I get to the hospital?
Transportation is the responsibility of the patient and his or her
family. When making arrangements, be sure that you will arrrive at the
hospital on time.
What time will I have to be there?
On the day prior to your surgery you will be contacted by phone by our
preadmission department sometime after 1 p.m. and informed of the time
you should arrive. If your surgery is scheduled for a Monday, you will
be contacted on the Friday before your surgery date.
What if I didn't get pretested or preadmitted?
If for some reason you did not go through pretesting or
preadmission, it is very important on the day you will be admitted
to
- Bring all of your insurance information and cards with you such as
BlueCross/BlueShield, Keystone, U.S. Healthcare or other insurance
cards.
- Bring all of your medications or a list of medications that you
are currently taking.
- Bring a copy of your living will or advance directives with you
and be sure you have provided a copy to your doctor. (If you don't
have one or don't know what these are, don't worry. Be sure to ask
about them and we will be happy to explain them to you.)
Where can I park?
- Patient and visitor parking can be found in lots A & B in front of
the hospital.
- Parking spaces for the physically challenged are available to
those who have handicapped plates or placards issued by the state.
- Disabled parking permits for use in the hospital and South Hills
Medical Building parking lots may be available to you. Check with your
doctor's office or the reception desk in the South Hills Medical
Building for details.
- A free Courtesy Shuttle for transportation to and from the parking
lots is available to you at no charge. The hours of operation are 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Signs reminding you of the
shuttle service are posted in parking lot B and at the main entrance
to the hospital.
- There is a nominal fee for parking.
- An All Day Pass at a special rate is available for those who have
need of coming and going several times on a particular day. These
passes are available at the cashier's window in the hospital lobby.
Where do I go once I'm there?
Report to the registration desk in the hospital lobby. At the
registration desk our clerk will inform our staff of your arrival via
computer and instruct you to be seated in the waiting area. When your
name is called, please go to our admission desk where your information
will be confirmed.
What if I have questions about my insurance coverage?
If you have questions about your insurance coverage or your ability
to pay for your hospital stay, our patient account advisors will be
able to assist you. Ask our admissions clerks to contact them for
you.
What if I have been preadmitted?
You will be given a wristband to wear for identification purposes
and escorted to, or instructed on how to get to our ambulatory surgery
and short-stay unit, located on the first floor of the hospital. Once
you are there, our staff will instruct you on how to prepare for your
procedure.
What if I have not gone through the preadmission interview?
If you have not spoken with our preadmission staff, you will need
to at the time of registration. This meeting is arranged for you by
our admissions clerk.
Can my family come with me?
Two family members may accompany you to the ambulatory surgery unit
and wait with you until you go for your procedure. After that, they
will be instructed on where to wait while you are having your
procedure.
Your family will be notified when your procedure is completed and
the doctor may wish to speak to them. For this reason we ask that if
your family members leave the waiting area they notify the information
desk attendant as to where they can be found.
How do my visitors get a visitor's pass?
All visitors must stop at the information desk in the hospital
lobby where they will be given a visitor's pass. This pass will allow
them to access the floor they wish to visit as well as the public
areas on the first and second floors of the hospital. If a visitor
does not have a pass, our security officers may stop them from going
to patient floors.
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